Gateways

This is the backyard at our new house. The Japanese-inspired gazebo is a gateway to a lovely koi pond and small waterfall in the back. But it’s more than that.

To me, it’s a symbol of another kind of gateway: the passage into a new chapter in our lives.

Bonnie and I sold our house in Charlotte's center city – a home we built 25 years ago, filled with memories – and moved to a one-floor ranch in a peaceful suburb 20 minutes outside of the city. What prompted the move? As we’re nearing 70 years old and my knees are touchy, we didn’t want to deal with steep stairs anymore. And we wanted something quiet, away from the urban noise and congestion, with a yard where our grandkids can play.

Looking at the red gazebo, I realize that life is a series of gateways – transformational times when we transition from one phase to the next.

It can be hard leaving a part of our life behind. And it isn’t easy acknowledging that we’re getting older and can’t do the things we used to do.

But as we leave one phase and enter another, we can welcome a new set of experiences and adventures. I look forward to having a cup of herbal tea in our new backyard and meditating in the spacious, tranquil space. This home is right for this point in our lives, just as our home in the city was right for the previous chapter in our lives.

The gate opening into our new backyard.

Author William Bridges said,  “It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive.” I've found there's much truth in that. We are in full transition mode right now, navigating the gateway to an older, quieter phase of life and feeling very much alive and renewed by the possibilities.

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