Life really can hand it to us, can’t it? Just when you think you’ve kind of got things figured out. Just when you feel like you have a grasp on what your life is supposed to look like, what you want out of it, what direction you are going, BAM! Life throws you a curve ball, and everything changes. At least, that’s how it feels.
I remember one time years ago, when my kids were all small, someone asked me about their ages, and then said “That’s the best age!” What did that mean? Could there be a best age? I did not feel like my children’s current needs and behavior could be part of their best age. But when I started to pay attention, I could hear people refer to almost every stage of childhood as the best age. It was not about an age that was actually better than other ages. It was about perspective, and change. When we look back on change, we see that it was not as bad as we thought it was.
Anyway, here is my point. Human life is full of transitions. It was a pretty big deal for our youngest son to transition from being home with me every day to going to school every day. The transitions from elementary to junior high to high school all came with their own sets of challenges. The transition into motherhood was overwhelming and much harder than I had anticipated, and the transition to parenting adults (none have left the nest yet…) is proving to be life altering, as well. And then you throw in new homes, new jobs, aging parents, losing parents, changing interests, the list goes on and on. Life is FULL of transitions.
Transitions, change, can be hard. It is hard. And there are challenges associated with it. But there are also new opportunities and exciting possibilities that come with change, too. It is important to see both sides, and let yourself feel all the emotions. The one thing that I always find makes life’s big transitions easier is to talk about it with other people who are going through it. So, let’s share our experiences with life’s transitions, and let’s support each other through it, because we know deep down inside, we will get through it.
What big life transition are you facing right now?