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That's how I feel now as my youngest goes off to college and my other children, who have already graduated from college, are living their lives on their own. It's as if I'm standing on that gorgeous Gaspé ledge looking off to the beautiful horizon. The past many years, like the woodsy path, are marked by complex variability and lots of arduous efforts to stay the course, and the future stares at me like a bright expanse of possibility. What will the descent along the rocky, sandy cliff to the beautiful beach, sea, and horizon include--what will make this chapter in life meaningful and memorable?
Like most people, when you live with limits, limited time, money, and access, you have to think deeply about how you'll live and what you choose. While not all time is within your choice, and the fact that serendipity and unplanned time is essential too, it's good to take time to think about your life and the choices you'll make at each new stage.
Besides my professional practice and day-to-day responsibilities, I would say that at this turn in life's road, relationships take precedence. How do I build and support those wonderful relationships in my life--relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and others? How do we enjoy each others company, celebrate significant occasions and accomplishments, support one another, and live and work together in ways that matter?
As I think of this, what comes to mind is the following:
Welcoming Home
A simple, streamlined, open, light, and welcoming space for people to spend time together. To meet this aim mainly means getting rid of stuff and cleaning up spaces in my home.
Good Times in Beautiful Places
Meeting up with friends and family members at beautiful places in nature and elsewhere to enjoy the view, take a hike, swim, bike, learn, and engage with arts and culture. Rather than simply getting together to share a meal, making more time to get together to do something enjoyable and inspiring.
Adventure and Travel
Saving up and planning ahead and preparing to share in adventure and travel near and far.
Holidays, Special Events, and Celebrations
Making the time to spend special times together with a a combination of old-time tradition and new-age additions and change. Don't allow special times and accomplishments to pass uncelebrated.
Open Attitude Towards Change
For a long time, my husband and I have made the plans and led our family, but now, to a large part, it's our children's lives that are leading our choices, adventure, and travel. I often say that our children take us down roads we never thought we'd travel and if we are open to these new adventures, we broaden and better our experience of life. Speaking to and seeing adult children regularly keeps you in touch with their lives, needs, and interests.
Listening and Responding
Rather than directing, at this stage there will be more listening and responding to my loved ones. Hearing what they need, and if possible, supporting their efforts to fulfill those needs.
New Patterns and Routines
My mom always says, "Enjoy the stage you're in because you'll never be there again." With each dramatic change in life, it's important to rethink the patterns and routines you engage in day after day. How will you recreate patterns and routines to make the most of the stage you're in? What practices will you retire to make the most of this new stage? To do this, you might want to audit what you do and ask yourself if those activities truly enrich your life now, or if it's time to retire those activities.
As I stand at this dramatic ledge of life, a ledge that looks out to a beautiful, inspiring future, I am excited about what this change holds. Now I'll rethink the routine, pattern, and schedule ahead to make time and space for all that I've written about in this post. Onward.