Times of Transformation
Photo credit: Joshua Sortino
“Times of transformation, whatever they might be, are opportunities to find new connections; to choose and consolidate the things that matter; to bring repressed selves out of the shadows into the light; to grow layers of nacre, of resilience, of acceptance.” ~ Lucy Jones, author of Matrescence
I became a grandma for the second time in June this year. I have a granddaughter due in November. I am turning sixty next March, entering a new decade. Over the course of this year I have battled breast cancer and witnessed my beloved undergo and recover from major surgery. Throughout all of these huge life transformations, I have discovered many opportunities to find new connections and make different choices. I’ve shone light into the shadows. I’ve advanced my resilience. I am walking the path of letting go of the past and accepting what is.
Opportunities to find new connections come with the territory of becoming a grandma by the very nature of that role. These past three weeks in Brazil have provided all kinds of scenarios for me to create a relationship with my grandson and to transform how I interact with my son and his partner in meaningful ways. It’s even shifted how Mister and I perceive things in our mutual desire to strengthen family relationships through our unconditional love and support.
Last Sunday my son requested we make space for just the two of us. I happily said yes, and our partners agreed to support us. We went to a local café that serves Acai smoothies made from the fruit that is found only in the Amazon forests of Brazil. It was an experience in itself. A band played impromptu live music while families and friends talked and laughed and played in a beautiful expression of strong community. My son and I connected deeply, heart-to-heart, eye-to-eye. We talked about dark things and shared lightness too. We danced.
The health challenges I faced this year were instrumental in helping me to choose and consolidate what matters and identify my priorities. Being diagnosed with breast cancer was such a shock because there is no family history. As I processed and came to terms with it, I gained insights that are helping me to take better care of myself. I am a natural born nurturer, and it can be difficult for me to focus on my needs, especially if I perceive that someone I love needs me more. But just like they illustrate in the oxygen mask demo at the beginning of each flight when travelling by air, you can’t look after others if you don’t take care of yourself first.
I’ve been doing shadow work for many years now, and while I have achieved awareness and transformed some of the dark energy to light, there is still much work to be done. I am hopeful that this next season of life in my sixth decade will bring opportunities for healing and maybe even reconciliation. These are my heart-yearnings, but I have no expectations, focused as I am on accepting what is. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that we all face challenges and adversity, but when we look inward, we find the strength to transform and overcome.
Layers of resilience form every time we accept the work and sacrifice it takes to undo old, negative patterns and create new, positive ones. It doesn’t mean an unrealistic attitude that everything is always good, but rather a focus on health and wellness for yourself and others. In my opinion, a huge part of the dysfunction in our modern societies is the self-centeredness that is also shallow. We spend too much time worrying how things look on the outside and what other people think instead of listening to our intuition, developing self-awareness, strengthening family and building community.
When Mister and I crossed the threshold of healing from our health challenges and made the decision to travel to Brazil, I’d thought that perhaps the season of hardships was behind us. I was wrong. Already, new challenges are popping up. Instead of languishing in this awareness, I’m choosing to remind myself that I have everything I need to live my life purpose. It is clear that I am not alone, that our world is in chaos. Times of transformation are a part of the cycles of existence, and it is all okay, okay. Stay strong, dear reader; we’ve got this!
COMING UP…
Books & Projects:
· All four of my books are available online at Amazon, Chapters-Indigo, and Barnes & Noble. You can also find them at select Chapters-Indigo and El Hombre de la Mancha bookstores.
· I am still determined, pursuing representation from a traditional publisher for my fifth literary fiction, a psychological drama that explores the complexities of mental illness and trauma. Stay in touch by signing up for my blog or following me on social media to find out when it will be published.
Reviews & Interviews:
· You can read, listen, or watch a large selection of reviews and interviews on my website.
Events:
· There are no events currently scheduled in my calendar.
YouTube Channel:
· Watch The Rogue Scorpion trailer.
· Watch The Holding trailer.
· Watch The Healing trailer.