Beginnings, middles and endings
In her poem, Life’s Rainbow, Sheila Banani describes life as colorful beginnings, middles and endings.
“Beginnings are lacquer red fired hard in the kiln of hot hope; Middles, copper yellow in sunshine, sometimes oxidize green with tears; but Endings are always indigo before we step on the other shore.”
Sheila Banani, Life’s Rainbow, in When I am an old woman i shall wear purple
You’ve probably heard the saying that the one constant in life is change. Indeed, change is an over-arching theme for each of us. But the hues of change, though similar, differ in each life. And each of us experiences our own unique blend.
Our lives aren’t straight lines
In the final chapter of Alice in Wonderland, the king presided over a trial in which Alice’s future was to be decided. The White Rabbit inquired about where to begin. “Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
But our lives are rarely so simple. There’s that murky middle. And, so many beginnings and endings.
Our worlds constantly evolve and change.
The seasons get muddled
On a recent late winter walk, as I was on the lookout for signs of spring, colorful autumn leaves framed a pathway through the trees. These signs of fall, out of place by nearly two seasons, serve as a colorful reminder that seasons of change happen in stages.
And just like these stubborn leaves, sometimes it’s hard for us to let go. We cling to old habits and ways despite being in a new season.
We can be in multiple stages at one time
As we sit here at the end of March, I still feel the newness of the year. We’re closer to the beginning of the year; perhaps in early stages of the middle? And yet winter is an ending and spring is a beginning, with buds and new growth coming our way.
Just as we can tromp through the woods and see signs of fall, winter and spring, all within a few steps — so life’s stages often muddle together.
The riddle of beginnings, middles and endings
Often, the important changes in life happen gradually, aren’t clear-cut. Children grow from toddlers to tweens to teenagers, acting like toddlers one day and adults the next.
Parents age, needing assistance sometimes and fiercely independent at others. We’re content in our jobs at times and yearning for something different at others.
How do we navigate?
How do we manage change, when it seems so random? When sometimes we don’t even recognize it until we’re in it?
One way is to be more aware of beginnings, middles and endings. According to the Bridges Transition Model, these transition phases help us do the work of coming to terms with a change. They help people “let go of how things used to be and reorient themselves to the way things are now.” (William Bridges, revised by Susan Bridges, in Transition as the ‘Way Through.’)
Naming where we’re at helps us
Simply understanding that we navigate a somewhat predictable path helps us better assess our next steps. And when we process change intentionally, we transform our hearts and minds through the transition, finding new purpose.
Check out these posts for more thoughts on navigating change:
And if you’d like a fresh perspective to help you navigate change, a coaching session can help you deal with shifting roles, face unexpected challenges, or gain the courage to follow your own unfulfilled dreams.
