Seasons of Life
Take a look at an insightful reflection article written by Mary-Anne Schelb, a staff member at JGS Lifecare, our sister affiliate organization in Longmeadow. Mary-Anne reminds us, in her trademark down-to-earth way, to take time to be ourselves. Very good advice!
Seasons:
And I don’t mean Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall. I am referring to the seasons of life. Seasons of friendship, seasons of career, seasons of family. You get it.
We all know the saying friends come into and out of our lives for a reason a season or a lifetime. Really the same thing happens in all we do. Getting married, you become someone’s wife or husband or partner. You have children and you are mom or dad. You get a career and you are someone’s employee, or boss. Even C-suite employees report to someone. If you are a business owner, you may have a board of directors you are in step with – or you are answering to your customers or clients. Some of these will be for a reason – for a season or maybe a lifetime.
As the years pass and your children go through grade school, high school then college, the time comes when they graduate, are technically considered adults and they go out on their own. Mom’s and dad’s – yet proud, sometimes become saddened with their kids leaving the nest. Empty nest syndrome is a real thing and it is ok to feel sad, but… (you knew there would be a but! 😉 do not lose yourself in this sadness! Try to replace the sadness with excitement that your kids are going forth into the world with all you have taught them, all you have shown them. Our job is to guide them and encourage them to become successful and contributing members of society. (Sometimes that works, sometimes it does not,) Children have choices. They have the ability to choose just like you do. Let them live. Let them experience, and I dare you to do the same!
Whether you are still “mom and dad” – or now may be part of the sandwich generation and you are caring for your own mom and dad – or you are finding you are identifying too much with a job, take a deep breath – close your eyes, and picture the perfect you! Connect with your higher self (that perfect version of yourself) and move towards that. One small step at a time still moves you forward.
Don’t get lost in someone else’s dream, make sure you are living your own. And if you are? Kudos to you! We are very few and far between – so I ask this of you – reach out to a friend you see may be in need… give them a hug, spend some time, lend an ear… Talk to them about the wonderful person you know they are, and remind them – not to get lost…
We are all in this together.
Mary-Anne Schelb is Director of Business Development for the Western Mass Region of JGS Lifecare/Legacy Lifecare. She is deep-rooted in the community building and fostering relationships to shape genuine bonds and levels of trust that her professional connections have come to rely on over the years. Mary-Anne truly enjoys helping people with any and all of their eldercare needs as well as nurture self-care through her own personal path to better health and wellness as a Holistic Health Practitioner.
