The last three months have brought many-a-change to my life. I hadn't thought that such changes merited mourning until my friend Caris mentioned it this weekend. She simply observed out loud in her insightful way: "Kendra, you have experienced a lot of changes lately, and allowing yourself to mourn those losses, even in the midst of such treasured gains, is important."
I suppose that wise statement from a cherished friend is the impetus for my starting this blog. Maybe if I am able to blog my thoughts and share this transition with other people I will be able to learn more from the experience and hopefully better transition from my life of three months ago into my current life.
I've been referring to many changes, none of which I have elaborated. Here I go.
Transition One: Three months ago I graduated college. I left my roommates and many very close friends who have been and continue to be special to me. My four years at Northwest Nazarene University were meaningful, but now I move on.
I suppose that wise statement from a cherished friend is the impetus for my starting this blog. Maybe if I am able to blog my thoughts and share this transition with other people I will be able to learn more from the experience and hopefully better transition from my life of three months ago into my current life.
I've been referring to many changes, none of which I have elaborated. Here I go.
Transition One: Three months ago I graduated college. I left my roommates and many very close friends who have been and continue to be special to me. My four years at Northwest Nazarene University were meaningful, but now I move on.
Transition Two: Two months after I graduated, I married my childhood and lifelong best friend, Tim.
Transition Two and a half: Immediately thereafter we moved to Eugene/Springfield and I began searching for a job. 
Transition Two and three quarters: Three weeks later I found a less than dreamy job that nonetheless pays the bills. So, for now and I am transitioning into a new job as a Sales/Office Assistant at the Grenzebach sales office in Eugene. This will provide good job experience and "look good on a resume."
Transition Three: Julie, my best friend from college who was also my maid of honor, is now leaving the country to work in a hospital in India. As if long distance friendship was not hard enough, now she will be halfway across the world.
Transition Four: One of my very best friends from childhood who was also a bridesmaid in my wedding recently began dating my older brother. This is simply odd.
It's not that these changes are for the worst or that I dislike all of them. Many, if not all, of these changes are very good and beneficial for everyone involved. Yet change and loss of any kind should be, for lack of a better word, mourned so that I can move on as a healed, healhty and whole person. Thus, I will work on this "mourning" process in the coming days and weeks.
Transition Three: Julie, my best friend from college who was also my maid of honor, is now leaving the country to work in a hospital in India. As if long distance friendship was not hard enough, now she will be halfway across the world.
Transition Four: One of my very best friends from childhood who was also a bridesmaid in my wedding recently began dating my older brother. This is simply odd.
It's not that these changes are for the worst or that I dislike all of them. Many, if not all, of these changes are very good and beneficial for everyone involved. Yet change and loss of any kind should be, for lack of a better word, mourned so that I can move on as a healed, healhty and whole person. Thus, I will work on this "mourning" process in the coming days and weeks.
3 comments:
Good luck with your transition. I think you're taking a mature and honest approach.
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 (NRSV)
I know that I can't know exactly how you are feeling, but I can empathize. Transitions are hard especially when you make so many all at once. I'll be praying for you!
Hey cous, good to see you out here in the blogosphere!
I totally understand what you're saying here. This transitions, though joyful, are difficult.
Last Easter I read a really interesting book called "The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality," by Ronald Rolheiser. One chapter (which has stuck in my brain) uses the death & resurrection of Christ as a metaphore for the changes that we face in life. It would be worth a read if you haven't already.
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