transitions

transition:
the act of going
from one point to another

a transition is personal
no one can do it for us, 
we may have people come alongside us, 
walk with us, train or teach us, hold us, pray with and for us,
but they cannot go through the process in our place

relationships
activities
abilities
jobs
schools
hobbies
interests

transitions:
can leave us unsettled
can be something we think we are prepared for,
but when we are in the middle of it realize we are woefully unprepared
can send us reeling
can be dangerous
can be intimidating
can be confusing
can add to our lives
can take something away from us
require a time of adjustment

transition
any woman who has gone through labor and delivery,
without pain medication,
knows that transition is the most difficult phase of delivery
it is the point where I thought,
"This is too hard."
"I cannot do this anymore."
"Bring the drugs. All of them. NOW!"
"I am not going to make it through this."
"I am never going to do this again. Ever. Nothing is worth this kind of pain."

transition,
though it begins in labor,
and labor may be one of the most vivid occurrences,
does not stop there, it is a life long, recurring activity
in an ideal world it works something like this:
unborn to born
infant to toddler
toddler to child
child to adolescent
adolescent to young adult
young adult to middle age
middle age to not so middle age

some transitions are easier than others
some transitions are self initiated
some transitions are forced upon us

some transitions are gradual, with only moments of discomfort,
sometimes we don't realize that we have gone through a transition 
unless someone points it out
other times transition hits us like a train wreck,
and there is no mistaking what is going on

transition

the act of going from one point to another
took me from being a pregnant woman to motherhood- five times
transition 
from singleness to marriage 
taught me what love is and what it costs
transition
from marriage to widowhood
is what I find myself navigating right now
and one day I too will transition from this temporary body
to my eternal body

Transition:
Is it quick?
occasionally
Is it easy?
rarely
Is it painful?
it can be dreadfully so
Is it a lot of work?
often
Is it worth it?
Absolutely.