Hopping from a piece of hanging driftwood to their nest under the eves of my yoga studio, small flying insects trapped in their beaks, Ma and Pa Cape Sparrow have become “our sparrows”, their sense of purpose and businessness-like air a source of admiration and wonder…and, indeed, respect!
And while they are building their nest, our own last fledgling is about to fly, a transition marked by poignant ceremonies such as the Valedictory Service at school. On the stage, eager young people about to step out into a different life, not without trepidation and a parting sadness, but also with excited anticipation of the unknown and the new. And in the auditorium, those of us there for the last time as parents, did we share similar feelings about the new life ahead of us? Were we also looking forward to experiencing unwonted freedom and a different focus in our lives? With the same bright-eyed openness and willingness to embrace change as our children, poised for flight?
Endings and beginnings. Doors closing and new ones opening. Death and new life. Changing seasons. Inevitable transitions as we journey through our lives, the endings accompanied by feelings of sadness and bereavement as we experience loss of companionship, “status”, a sense of purpose, of accustomed routines and of what has been. And the gains? A deeper sense of self, perhaps, new freedoms, hobbies, interests and circles of friends. Expanded horizons and unexpected opportunities. A chance to do things differently.
How have the transitions in your life brought new gifts to you, as sad as you might have been, as bereft as you might have felt, at the time? Email us via “Have your Say” – your experience may ignite a flame that brightens up the life of another.
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