There are many ways we grow as human beings; but two that have always been there is that we are broken open or we willfully shed, and usually it’s a mix of both.
-Mark Nepo
Every day when I walk my much-loved dog Riley, I see the trees become more and more bare, and I see soggy yet colorful leaves covering the sidewalks and roads. And I think—I am also part of this process.
Very often, I’m blindsided by life and I am broken open. Experiencing my eldest go to university was not easy. Losing loved ones in the past few years has been painful. And the challenges of getting older have really surprised me. But as I walk with Riley through the wintry streets, I feel the need to willfully shed—to let go of the past, of old patterns, of things that no longer serve me, and of a stage and age that has come and gone.
Now is the time to dwell in this quiet cocoon of winter—reflecting on all that has been shed, and preparing for the mysteries that will blossom in spring.
Tara Zafft, Ph.D. 