As we move through life we encounter a plethora of transitions, each of varying magnitude and complexity, some more easily navigated than others. The key I think is in the extent to which the place we are going seems more attractive than the place we’ve left behind. The more we can visualize and access the new, the less tenaciously we will hold on to the old. But what happens when neither option seems available? The old is no longer accessible, but the new is shrouded in mystery. I think it is in this transitional space that much of our anxiety arises. It is the place of seeing loss behind you and uncertainty ahead, of not knowing where to point your sail, of not being able to feel the ground under your feet. The longer we remain, the more paralyzing the anxiety, and the less able we are to make the movement needed to resume the journey.
Real Conversations
When do we stop being able to have real conversations? Ironically, I would submit, just as we are learning to speak. As we become able to verbalize our thoughts and feelings, we become aware of ourselves, aware that we exist separate from the world around us. We...
