Endings Are Beautiful Too Helaine Iris © 2003“To be able to look at change as an opportunity to grow--that is
secret to being happy.” Joan Lunden
As I stepped outside this morning for my daily power walk brisk October air braced my cheeks. The deep, fragrant aromas of wood smoke and dying leaves; autumn in New England filled me with an unexpected joy and appreciation for season. I looked around at spectacular, vivid color of trees. My sneakers kicked through crinkly red, orange and brown piles waiting to be raked. I remembered that I use to hate fall.
Fall meant death, end of summer, my favorite time of year. I was a summer person flourishing in bounty of life at its fullest. Every year, falls approach signaled to me an ending, a time to let go and I didn’t look forward to it.
As I was walking and breathing deeply in beauty of morning I began to experience my relationship with changing seasons as a metaphor for my life. I began to think about how well we as a culture celebrate birth, youth and new beginnings and how we’re taught to fear death, change and endings.
Recently, I had an experience where my affiliation with an organization dear to me was complete. It had become clear that it was time to let go and move on. The change would mean a decrease of revenue, as well as a loss of supportive associates. Naturally, I was conflicted about making decision to leave and felt some pain in separation. I wondered how I would compensate for change, and what I would replace emptiness with where a once thriving opportunity lived.
Then yesterday, I worked with a client who absolutely hates her job. She dreads going to work each day and is miserable, yet with growing certainty is clear she needs a career change. She’s been struggling with this dilemma for months and is terrified to take a step to change her life.
