Kerri On Down The Road

 As hard as it was to watch my eldest prepare to leave and start the next chapter of his life, it allowed me to watch a life transition in process.  Being able to see the trees while standing in the forest provided a perspective on how one can effectively manage change without becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume of decisions and choices that need to be made.  What struck me from the start was how he prioritized and determined what needed to happen, and then simply did the thing.  It can be so easy to get caught up in minutiae and uncontrollables while navigating through a transition period.  I have often found myself falling victim to "analysis paralysis," which brings any and all forward motion to a grinding halt. At the same time, I wrestle with small (and often most insignificant) details.  It can feel like I am doing meaningful work as I busy myself with these plans, only to realize later on that I could have made much more headway had I focused on...

 I celebrated the Spring equinox last week at a cozy community fire.  As we sat around the crackling blaze, we were given time to reflect on the coming Spring and what we were feeling as we made the transition from Winter.  The first things that landed with me involved the softening of the earth, the tentative budding of trees, and the brave crocus blooms that look fragile but prove otherwise. Then I began to reflect on March itself and what this month holds for me.  I realized quite quickly that March has been, and continues to be, a month filled with significant transitions and milestones.  I have faced great, painful losses and celebrated important new beginnings during this month as well, and both experiences have shaped the trajectory of my life in meaningful ways.   This realization made me think more about transitions and how we can and do interpret them.  In the moment, up close, it is so hard to really see what is happening.  We are ...

 This past weekend, I helped my eldest son as he prepared to take the next big step in his life's adventures.  It felt bittersweet to watch as he packed up the room in his apartment, in anticipation of setting up a new room in a new city in the near future.  I have felt proud of him over the past few months as he has navigated many unknowns and new situations with a sense of certainty and enthusiasm for what lies ahead.  Deep down, I marvelled at his ability to let go, to embrace the new opportunities being presented while letting go of the life he had been establishing over the past couple of years.  Thinking back to when I was his age, I am not sure that I would have had the ability to make these same decisions so easily.  Sure, I have had my fair share of tough choices and have navigated change as I have journeyed through life. Still, I have often felt a sense of dis-ease when it comes to letting go of what is or has been to make room for what might be....

I was looking back at unfinished blogs recently, and came across the bones of today's post.  The original date was early March of 2021, and even back then, I was noodling the difference between someone's opinion of me and my actions, their acceptance of me, and how important that is to me and my acceptance of myself.   The original post was prompted by an impromptu mole check at my doctor's office, and wondering what their reaction would be to the fact that I had let my leg hair grow past the point of being an accidental oversight in the shower that morning.  Although I felt unabashed by walking around with visible leg hair in most instances, there was still a part of me that winced a little when all eyes were on my legs and the hair that had sprouted could not be denied.  How sure of myself was I, I wondered, if I felt a pang of worry about my doctor's potential reaction?  Aside from checking out the mole, there was no discernible reaction to my leg hair s...

 I traded in my car last winter for a newer model, and with this change, I was introduced to many features that my older car did not offer.  One feature that has caught me off guard a few times is the lane assist.  This is the one where you receive a notification when the car senses you changing lanes without indicating.  It's a handy reminder to stay in your lane, unless you have a reason to move to a new one.  If only we as humans had a similar feature! I do not think I am alone in wanting to help others who appear to be in need.  This might take the shape of holding space for someone to talk through an issue they are facing, which might lead to sharing a time when I have had a similar experience, which may lead to the offering of advice on what they should do next.  While all of this may sound kind and what friends are for, it can be a slippery slope.  Ann Lamott said it best in her quote, "Help is the sunny side of control".  Often, we me...

On a couple of occasions this past week, I felt fortunate to be able to open up windows in my apartment to let the spring-like breeze fill my space.  This simple act of opening windows and inviting in the freshness brought a sense of positivity and possibility: new beginnings are on the horizon. I am not naive, and know that this short respite from our frigid winter is just that, a tiny break, and without confirming it on the weather app, I know that we are due for at least a few more days of wintry temperatures before these milder ones start to become the norm.  And that's okay.  Even having small windows of possibility helps to remind me that no matter how tough the season, we are always in transit and are never stuck in one space.   It's always easier to remind ourselves of this simple fact as we are on the upswing from a difficult time.  Upward spirals bring hope and allow our minds to embrace the idea of positivity and an end to suffering or chall...