A Remembrance

When I wrote my last blog, I was sharing thoughts about transitions. There are so many that we face on a daily basis. One significant transition I omitted, though, was the transition of loss. One must somehow adapt to losing someone. The loss of a family member or dear friend is not only heart-breaking but difficult in so many ways.

This August I lost my dear Mother and that has caused me to re-think many of my values. The Lord has been good to me. He has brought me peace and consolation. He has sent me so many signs from the events that have transpired in the past few months.

My sisters and I have been cleaning through my Mother’s things. It has been a tiresome but very valuable endeavor. How does one sum up a life in things? You don’t. You some it up in beautiful memories, little mementoes, and the presence of your loved one in your heart.

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Transitions

How often lately have you heard the question, “Where has the summer gone?” A lot, I am sure. For some reason, August has a way of crashing through summer leaving us in the wake of turning leaves and shorter days. Students and teachers are returning to school; parents are already balancing schedules; and the rest of us are just lamenting over the passage of vacation days and more relaxed times.

We can’t avoid transitions in our lives. It may simply be the changing of seasons, the movement to a new job or some change in our family structure or our community make-up. Transitions are not always easy or smooth. They involve change and that is not easy for anyone. Some people are more adaptable than others; it may be a part of our DNA—the ability to be resilient, the flexibility to “go with the flow.” Whatever it is, we either have it or we don’t.