Dear Me,

You didn’t expect this stage to feel quite so full.

The kids are grown—technically adults now—but your role hasn’t ended, it’s changed.
Instead, it’s shifted into something less visible, but no less demanding.
You’re the sounding board for career decisions, relationship hiccups, and “how do I…?” phone calls & texts that come out of the blue.
You’re the quiet anchor as they learn how to stand on their own.

At the same time, you’re walking alongside ageing parents whose needs are growing.
Medical appointments, check-ins, designated driver, small but important acts of care that remind you time is moving in both directions.
Some days you feel stretched thin—part of you facing forward, part of you looking back, and somehow trying to keep yourself steady in the middle.

And then there’s your own life.
Your own career shifts, the questions about what comes next, the quiet wondering about whether there’s still time for the dreams you’ve put on the back burner.
Some days it feels like you’re moving through your own transition with barely a moment to catch your breath.

From the outside, you might look like you’re managing it all.
But inside, there’s a constant hum—thinking ahead for everyone else, trying to be present for your own life, and wondering where your energy will come from tomorrow.

It’s not wrong to feel tired.
It’s not selfish to want space that’s only yours.
You are holding multiple generations together in your own quiet way, and it’s okay to admit it takes something from you.

This isn’t about being everything to everyone.
It’s about finding the smallest pockets of rest and the gentlest ways to refill yourself, so you can keep showing up for the people you love—and for you.

With heart,

Me