You have perfectly articulated my own experience Mia (my son is 34 and my daughter is 32). Whilst I'm aware that there are other mothers commenting in this thread that havent felt this way, I can assure you that it is a very common sentiment amongst my friends. I remember so clearly (many years ago) telling a friend that I was "grieving" the fact that I was no longer the most important woman in my sons life and feeling like I was a bit of a weirdo saying it out loud. To the young women on this thread saying these feelings are "sexist", "gendered" and "outdated", whilst I respect your opinion, there are some things that just "are", and dare I say (at the risk of getting hammered), you only understand this once you have experienced it. 

@mamamia-user-482898552 - this is (unfortunately) so true

@it’s Alex 100% It is indeed a beautiful, necessary and heartbreaking evolution!

I completely get the point of this article. I have some friends that (like me) can have some incredibly annoying traits. The thing is, you have to outweigh the things they do that drive you crazy, with all the good things that you value in their friendship. If you decide the good outweighs the bad, then you have to accept them the way they are and choose not to be annoyed by them (& be grateful that they accept your flaws). If you can’t, do both of you a favour and move on! 

This article articulates exactly how I’ve been feeling!