Midlife Creative

It could be assumed that regardless of our age, we are all going through a time of transition. During this Covid-19 quarantine, many have transitioned to working from home and distance learning for students. Our world has transitioned from a frenetic over-scheduled life to a much slower pace with fewer alarm clocks and traffic jams.

For those who have given birth or been with a woman in labor, you know that transition is the final phase of labor when the woman’s cervix moves from 8-10 centimeters. It’s the time during labor when the pain intensifies to its peak. Contractions are strong, and close together, often overlapping.

During this quarantine, we are in a transition time. It’s a time between what was and what will be. Much like labor, we cannot predict how long it will last or how it will unfold. The pain it is causing varies from person to person. What we do know is that we are not going through the transition for no reason. We cannot go through a crisis without it changing us.

I hope this season will bring about something new and beautiful.

What is this time of transition leading to? What will the world look like when this period of time is over? Will life ever go back to the way it was?

We must all take time to grieve the things we have lost. Jobs, income, travel, entertainment, time with friends, graduations, camps, and for some, losing a loved one.

Willingly entering into the pain is an important part of transition.

Just like during a birth, trusting your creator, accepting help from your support team, breathing, and focus on the goal – new life – will bring you through this labor of transition.

For those who have went through child birth, maybe you can remember things to share with others that helped you through the painful experience. I know it’s not the perfect analogy, but it is what makes sense for me today.

How can we support one another in this labor of love that we call “Sheltering in Place?”