Publication Date: March 25, 2025
What does a mother do when her youngest child leaves home and her perfectly ordered (well, almost) life is suddenly thrown off its tracks leaving her to wonder if she will ever again find that comfortable rhythm, that sense of belonging?
After 27 years of motherhood, Rita Lussier’s youngest child heads to New York City and Rita drives home to what she thinks will be the calm after the storm only to find no comfort, nothing familiar. Welcome to the Great Big Empty Nest! The parenting mission that had infused Rita’s days and nights with so much purpose has abruptly changed leaving her lost and confused, not an ideal state of mind to begin the messy and uncomfortable process of reinventing her life. Rekindling her marriage and friendships. Kickstarting her career. Making difficult choices about her house, finances and future all the while adjusting to the ever-changing demands of growing-up children and aging parents.
And Now, Back to Me invites readers along as Rita recreates nearly every aspect of her life at a time when she thought she’d be kicking back to enjoy it. As a columnist for The Providence Journal, it was precisely these types of personal glimpses that endeared readers to her column making it a popular feature of the newspaper for a dozen years. In her book, Rita shares her experiences with the issues that not only confront her at this crossroads, but millions of parents as well.
Until I came across Rita Lussier’s compilation of stories highlighting the impact of being an empty nester, I hadn’t assigned numbers to my life.
Whereas Rita details what it is like to send off the youngest child after 27 years of motherhood, I realized that when my youngest leaves next summer, it will mark 30 years of motherhood. Unlike those wrinkles and libido changes that no one talks about, there’s plenty to say about empty nest syndrome.
And Now, Back to Me offers a realistic insight into a world slightly out of focus. Now the children are gone, there’s a man on the other side of the table ready for attention. Making the shift becomes easier with clear expectations.
Rita’s struggle to find normalcy unfolds with humor and relatable bittersweet emotions. However, she demonstrates that not only is the struggle common, but the process of redefining life is exciting.
And Now, Back to Me offers insight into a woman’s journey to survive – and thrive – as an empty nester.
Rita Lussier is an award-winning journalist and writer whose column “For the Moment” was a popular feature of The Providence Journal for a dozen years. Her writing has also been featured on National Public Radio, in The Boston Globe, The New York Daily News, and many more. Rita enjoys coaching writers, conducting workshops and has worked as a publicist and editor. She has taught at both the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. She lives with her husband in Jamestown, Rhode Island where she enjoys running, walking and time with family and friends.
