One full week. We are one full week into school and the rhythmic change to our lives is noticeable. Honestly, I think we all just want summer back. We want the days of no “real” schedule, of sleeping in, of not being rushed. In our first week back we almost missed the bus once, one child forgot her school ID, and the big child has been grumpier than I’ve ever seen him. 

Karen and I took a date night on Friday just to regain some of our own sanity. As the week comes to a close I am quickly reminded of something; transitions are hard. 

It is hard to get into a new rhythm. It is hard to remember that we shouldn’t have this down pat. It is hard to say, I feel out of my comfort zone and out of whack. 

One of my friends who studies the human body once told me, “Your body will naturally take the path of least resistance. It (your body) wants to do the least amount of work.”

I think this has to be why transitions are so hard because they naturally change everything. They mix up life and push us towards a new way of doing things. I wish this blog could end with some three step process of dealing with the transition- like if you do these three things transitions won’t be hard, but unfortunately, the only way I’ve found to deal with transitions is to go through them. Live into them. Recognize them. 

Sometimes the most profound thing we can do for healing, processing, and forward momentum is just acknowledging we are in the midst of something that is difficult. Acknowledge that we are in transition and that this transition won’t last forever. Acknowledge that rhythms are off, people are grumpy, and the kids will be forgetful.

Maybe awareness is the key to dealing with transition, an act of wisdom saying, “This season needs grace.”

How do you deal with transition?