In the story of our lives, we often have page-turning moments.  Those moments when we are leaving one chapter of our lives and entering another.  Those page-turning moments are bittersweet as we have excitement toward the next page, but we are looking longingly back toward what has been. 

Those around us might roll their eyes.  This decision that we’ve made is the right one.  This new path we are on is marked before us.  We may not have regret that we are onto the next chapter, but we look back with tears.  I think that’s OK.  It’s healthy even – to remember with gratitude this chapter we’ve finished, to sit in it for a moment, to relish the memories, to mourn their passing. Feeling pain at leaving a chapter behind doesn’t mean that we regret the decision we’ve made or aren’t excited about moving forward. 

Sometimes we just need to acknowledge it – to ourselves and maybe to a close friend.  Especially as life moves forward and we can’t stop it.  We don’t always get to make the choice to move to the next page: when kids start school or graduate or get married, when we must sell a life-long home as we age, or when we put aside a life’s purpose for someone else to carry the baton.  It’s not always new and exciting.  Often, milestones we have long awaited are the hardest to adjust to.  We’ve known they are coming, counted the days even!  Suddenly, the day is before us and we can’t go back. 

This is why we need friends.  To walk these paths with us, to turn these pages together, to celebrate what was and what will be.  It’s also why we need faith.  We need something bigger than ourselves to give us the strength to keep turning pages as they get harder and harder to turn. 

Standing on a threshold, 

Heather Smith