Transitions - leading to new or renewed promise and life!

I recently completed my annual self-review, using a tool recommended to me a decade ago. The early steps of this process invite you to look back on your life and to identify the milestones: significant dates, people, places, and occupations; key events; and dreams, aspirations, and interests. After charting that "evolution" of your life, you look for patterns and what they have to teach.

Since I have used this resource regularly, I have several charts of my evolution. This year, as always, some differences expectedly flowed from another year of life. But I also observed that the milestones I chose had more impact than I had realized on the patterns I identified and what I learned from them. When most of my milestones focused on endings, I typically responded by scrambling to recover. When my milestones emphasized beginnings, I felt drawn to new and renewed promises. Although both seem necessary, I'd much rather have the latter primarily shape me.

Death of a loved one, divorce, and undesired dismissal force our evolution. To remain healthy (however we measure that) we must deal with them honestly so that we can heal and recover. Some scrambling seems unavoidable. Yet, beginnings beckon even in those profound endings. Something wonderful has been lost, but vestiges of the wonder remain.

On other occasions, we can decide whether to focus on the ending or the beginning. When a child leaves home for college, military service, or to establish another home, some things end. She or he may "visit" again or may return to the nest for a season, but precious years of a certain kind of life together are over. Yet, we can also view that as the beginning of our child's reaching for dreams, stretching toward a hope, and building on the foundation we helped to lay. That makes it possible for us to begin forming an adult relationship with our child, which offers a different but no less precious kind of life together.

What most defines us? What do we most want to define us? Who we have been and what we have done ever remain with us. Do they define our parameters or provide a place from which to reach for new and renewed life? Regardless of our age or stage in life, do we primarily recover from what has been or reach for what now is and can be? Paul declared that we belong to God in both life and death. From a Christian perspective, even death yields to new beginnings. An old prayer for memorial services asks God to help us live as people who are not afraid to die. That does not call for martyrdom and does not diminish the loss that comes with death. Rather it reminds us that death does not define us. Endings will always come, thanks be to God. Yet, each one yields to new or renewed promise and life. May we embrace endings and beginnings, but allow and ask for the latter to define us.

Grace and Peace,

LP