Transitions

As I sit to write this post I am looking out the big bay window in front of my desk and I can see part of my yard.  I am noticing that there are butterflies on the butterfly bush.  The humming birds are drinking from the gladiolas and hibiscus.  The greens of the trees and lawn have darkened.  The weeds are growing at a faster pace and the tomatoes and eggplant are just beginning to ripen.  Amidst all of this bounty of late summer, I am also noticing that the dogwood leaves are just beginning to redden for their lovely trip to the earth.  Amazing how the signs of fall are mixing into the signs of late summer bringing us obvious signs of the transition taking place.  As August starts I am wooed by the closeness of vacation and then the sorrow of the start of school.  Is summer really coming to  close so soon?  Is fall really upon us?  How is it that during my life so far I have always thought there were almost clear lines between the seasons? Now I see that with just a little observation I can pick up the signs of how fall and summer simultaneously exist as summer wanes and fall ramps up.

As I ponder on this I realize that all of life works like that.  We are always in transition.  I have been blessed to be the "auntie" to a friends baby who is now almost 7 months old and I have watched him in constant transition and often thought and commented on how fast babies change.  Then I look at my own children 21,19 and 16 and am amazed at how much they have changed and grown and how they too are still on a constant path of growth and change. They are getting to be adults but still at times want to snuggle with their mom or have me cook their favorite foods from their youth.  I have often thought that change slows when you get older but honestly I think I have been wrong all of this time.

My life too is in transition.  I am in the sandwich phase of my life where I am still caring for my children and now my parents need my help as well.  I can see both the growing independence of my kids and the growing dependance of my parents. I can see the similar ways I deal with both of them.  Giving them as much autonomy as possible all the while taking care of the background details neither is able or ready to handle. Both groups are in transition in the dance we call life.

As I am approaching my 50th birthday I have much to look back on and know that I also have much to look forward too.  If I am lucky they will be even amounts of time.  I recognize the transition in my life from the maturity of my goals to reaping the harvest of my life and still knowing the fall is on it's way.  Sometimes I have anxiety about getting older knowing that I am over my peak and then I look at the wisdom that age has brought me and I smile.  Being young was fun but being my age is much more peaceful.

So as we move from one season into another I prompt you to look at your own lives and see the transitions and welcome the changes.  They will come no matter what and it is much more peaceful and fun to welcome them with an open heart and open arms.

I love you all!

Idalee