I’ve been thinking about endings.
May does this to me, for a myriad of reasons, but it seems there are several dear ones in my life who have their own endings in this season.
For most people, endings are bitter sweet—after all, everyone wants a happy ending—and we try to find ways to cheer ourselves up as we head to the finish line. Looking for silver linings, we hold onto cherished memories of the past with a tender nostalgia.
Endings can also be heartbreaking. These are often the ones that come unexpected, unplanned, and unwanted. We find ourselves grasping for what was; memories are all we have left. The good and the bad memories become life sources to keep a curtain from fully closing at the finale.
Either camp of conclusions hold a similar truth:
Where there is an ending, there is always a beginning. A powerful nexus connects the two.
Some may see it as a transition, but I see it as much more:
The nexus is a sacred space.
In a transition we rest or fortify or play or pray or research or organize.
In the transition we have an opportunity to prepare our hearts, our minds, our homes, our families, ourselves for the new.
Some may choose to take advantage of the bonus time but others may not.
And, here’s where this is important:
The beginning is always full of unknowns.
For some, this comes as a great adventure! But for others, this settles as a source of anxiety.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons endings are so difficult since we do not know what a beginning will look like. More than likely it will be different; more than likely we always will hope for the best.
Today is the last day of April. Many of us have closings the coming month of May. As we focus to finish strong, which is always a good sentiment, let’s also wonder what our interim may be like.
Perhaps we can savor that sacred space into the new.
And sometimes endings are actually new beginnings.
Powerful wisdom and encouragement.