Being the Water

It has been a month ~ a year ~ of incredible changes...deep life changes for me and those that I love.  I have been so very blessed to discover my life and love partner and celebrate our new journey with our family around in us in the most intimate, "made for us" wedding.  My youngest daughter, so gifted and talented in many areas, has now graduated from high school and is excitedly preparing for her new journey ~ college ~ where a new world awaits to help her discover and develop those gifts and talents even more.  I was able to embrace my son after two years away in Africa, home to celebrate all these milestone events with us and share with us the wonder, joy, and challenges of his work with the Peace Corps ~ and understood more fully in my heart that his true home, at least for now, is, indeed, across the ocean, in a village who loves and needs him, in a country he has come to love as well.  I am amazed at the miracle of my granddaughter who just, it seems, a twinkling ago, was a babe in arms, and now toddles around, babbling, signing words, and of course, speaking the word that will always melt my heart, "Mimi." :)

I have watched my mother grow stronger each day, rediscovering herself, step-by-step, as she walks now alone after the death of my father ~ such a challenging walk, but such strength she has shown and what new roads may lay ahead?

All of this change, even the most positive and wondrous events, can be head-spinning and heart-stirring.  When my son was home, he posted a quote from a Greek philosopher on his Facebook wall ~ "You can never step in the same river twice."  Change, good - bad - just change, is inevitable.  Nothing remains the same.  When I start to feel overwhelmed by the change around me (and yes, even all the good change can become overwhelming....along with graduations and college and weddings and happy sons in Africa and daughters and granddaughters and mothers come planning and more planning and did I say planning and moving and maybe moving and commuting and calendars and vacations and financial planning and....and....so yes, you get the point), I hold on to the phrase "be the water."  Just go with the flow - let go - don't try to plant your feet in the sand and stand still against the waves.  Just be the water and flow with it.

I think tomorrow afternoon's weather looks good for heading out to the farm to do some floating on the pond.