Transitions are always full of emotion – the end of one thing and the beginning of another fills me, and most people, with feelings of gratitude or perhaps disappointment for what was or wasn’t – and excitement and hope or perhaps concern for what might occur in the future. In our home, we were fortunate enough to have the brightness and liveliness of a recent visit from our children. Seeing them in their beds and throughout the house, where they previously belonged, filled me with such a sense of love and rightness. Hearing the details of their lives and sharing the delight of new and fun experiences with them made the holidays even more satisfying. And then they were gone. Off to their own lives, leaving me with mine. The house is now quiet and it feels like there is so much more space. I would be dishonest if I said I wasn’t sad, that I didn’t miss their presence. Being with people we love makes our lives much more enjoyable and richer. But holding on to what was is not sensible (it’s not reality anymore), helpful (nothing is ever accomplished in the past) or compassionate. So what’s in that space that is now available to me – to all of us – as the new year begins?

My wish for each of you is that you find in your new space, each day of 2013, opportunities for joy, for growth, for love and for acceptance of and gratitude for what is real.