Traversing the Changing Seasons of Our Lives

Good morning! Spring has finally arrived in southern Ontario! The birds are singing, the trees are budding, and the daffodils in my garden are in full bloom!

I realized today that on April 25th it will be three months since my mother passed away. What a three months it has been! I remember feeling weak as a kitten, disoriented and unable to control my tears for the first few weeks after Mom passed. Then the time came when I could talk about her passing without bursting into tears. Now, when I think about Mother’s Day coming, I am able to wonder, with my mind, as well as my emotions, how to celebrate it. I have written 200 pages in my journal! I have also been inspired to write a lot for my new book Tent Pegs: How to Live With More Stability and Strength. For sure, although talking about Mom and telling the story of her final illness and passing has been an important way to process her passing, writing has been my primary way to process her life, her impact on my life, and what I want to integrate of her, her life, and our relationship, as I continue forward.

Today I heard, for the first time, the lyrics of a song called Landslide. It was written in 1973 by Stevie Nicks, at a time of transition in her life. One verse particularly captured my attention:

O mirror in the sky, what is love?

Can the child within my heart rise above?

Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?

Can I handle the seasons of my life?

I heard this song while watching The Voice Knockouts on YouTube. It was performed by contestant Madison Curbelo. As she sang the line Can I handle the seasons of my life? something stirred deep within my soul. I realized, with a start, that I am handling this time of transition in my life. That was such a reassuring thought! Of course, I have definitely needed lots of people to listen and encourage and support me through the past three months of grief. But with that support, and with giving myself the gift of a lot of time and space to quietly and gently process, I am making it through.

Hallelujah!!