Closing The Chapter. Blog #330.
After 59 years my family is closing out a chapter and moving forward leaving behind the family home where we were raised. My parents were incredibly happy living in the same home for most of their adult lives.
They were comfortable with everything around them and there were few surprises. The home was manageable to them throughout every season of their lives.
My father chose to leave the house and once that decision was made there was no looking back. He valued every moment our family spent living in the home, but after he made the decision to leave he had no desire to return, he closed that chapter and was ready to move to the next.
I knew better than to ask how he could so smoothly move from one phase of life to another. Although he has great memories of our home, he was able to tuck those memories into a manageable place and move with grace to the next chapter.
My father has the ability to look for what is good in the situation. It would have been easy for him to dwell on all the things he would miss. But instead, he chooses to look at all the things he is gaining. He made the decision to close the door and move forward with a positive attitude.
Whenever asked if he is happy, he replies confidently that he loves it and could not imagine a better place. All the while his body is shutting down and each day he discovers he needs assistance for yet another task.
It would be so easy for him to fall into negativity, but he rarely allows himself that opportunity. Every once in a while the issues get overwhelming and he has a moment of frustration. But he quickly uses humor to cover the pain and moves back into being grateful.
The power of positive thinking has played a huge role as I walk through life opening and closing chapters. Opportunities are all around us if we utilize them to launch us into our next adventure.
Humor, love, compassion, kindness, and prayer are all tools that help me navigate through tough times and ease the pain of closing chapters.
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