Well, I have a father who is "elated" although his wife is dead, his last child just went off to college, and he is 60 which is the age none of my little people seem to live past.

Then I have a 12-year-old living by himself because both parents died. He finally got depressed (this is the one who was "elated" when his mother died), but he recovered quickly to just being "a bit blue".