In some North Carolina houses, this is a time of empty rooms and empty spaces. Children, so long ever-present, are now suddenly gone away to college.

Even though they knew the day was coming, there is great emptiness in their homes and in their hearts. This is true especially for parents, but also for grandparents, even though all knew that the day was coming.

One of my grandsons is in college far from home in Colorado. And both my granddaughters just graduated from college far away — one in Vermont and the other in Scotland. After some time at home, one is heading even further afield, to Alaska, and the other back to Scotland. These “grandbabies” are so far away I will seldom see them.

My own children stayed reasonably close to home in North Carolina at Davidson and graduate school at

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