Dear Annie: My youngest just left for college, and the quiet in this house feels deafening. For more than 20 years, my whole world revolved around being a mom. My days were built around carpools, practices, grocery lists and late-night talks in the kitchen. Now the rooms are still, the laundry baskets are empty, and I find myself standing in the doorway of my kids’ rooms just to feel close to them.

Everyone tells me to enjoy it, to travel or pick up a new hobby, but I just feel sad. I miss the noise, the laughter, even the arguing over who finished the milk. I miss being needed. My husband seems to be adjusting fine, but I feel this ache that I cannot shake. It is pride and loneliness all tangled together.

I know this is supposed to be a normal part of life, but it feels anything but nor

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