The Joy of Endings...

If you want to fill the cup with fresh water, you need to empty it first, advised a friend.  While I intently listened and was even inspired by this zen philosophy for a fraction of seconds, the thought of endings wasn't very comforting.   

I had been hosting a fantastic television show and it was about to end. Though everyone working on the show was mentally prepared for it, there was a slight hesitation to step out of what had become the "comfort zone." This not only meant looking for new work, it also meant not going to the same place everyday (which sounds quite refreshing in theory), and it also meant making new decisions.

I knew I had to do other things and the show was ending exactly when it was supposed to.  So after making a gracious exit I realized that letting go was not as easy as I had imagined.  All of a sudden, there was so much free time to do whatever I wished, yet the disenchantment of something missing played on my mind.  It felt as if something had been left behind... 

Since playing the blues out loud is not my thing, I made a deliberate attempt to move on.  I was aware that all beginnings eventually have an end yet the transition wasn't all that fun.  Afterall, this is what happens between endings and new beginnings. No matter how much knowledge we have, some processes take their own course. 

Change is inevitable and probably the only consistent thing in our lives.  Once we accept this, the transition becomes easier.  Instead of having remorse over why something good ended, we could rejoice that we were blessed to experience all that good in the first place.  

An end is what precedes a brand new beginning. Perhaps the transition is mildly uncomfortable, however its just a matter of time. Ending things gracefully  is key to allowing new beginnings to unfold.