My children are all grown up (27 and 25 years old) and I miss them every day. Sometimes I think about the story from the book entitled, "The Giving Tree." My view is if I am doing parenting right, I give unconditionally just like the tree does with the boy in the story throughout his life. I would do anything for my children, I love them so much.
Since I have a less-than-ideal relationship with my parents, my objective was always to be the parent I never had. (I feel pretty successful in that singular pursuit.)