This is a time of change for many, including the four of us who lead BYSYC. At some point over the past month or two, we have broken down to one another, whether with tears of transition, in exasperation of overwork, or of joy in the small miraculous moments. But we won’t deny that it has been hard, and we are still finding our way. So this month, we will share with you our stories of transition.
This year I keep waiting for the universe to be done with her challenging moments, whether the death of animal and human loves, the ending of relationships, the beginning of new relationships, the illnesses to be triumphed over or accepted with grace, the freak accidents, the betrayals of trust, the changes in occupation that result in questioning of identity, the students who are struggling, the earth that seems to need so much healing, the humankind that doesn’t recognize its own beauty and potential.
But still, our lovely universe sends me more to work through. I realize, however, after a 3am phone call with a dear friend who contacted me when I most needed the comfort, the lessons of this work. As my teacher, Elena Brower, says, what seems most confusing and most unsettling is our work to be harmonized. We can do it. We need to look at the difficult moments as a sign that it is and has always been coming together. And I do have faith in this coming together.
I will close with one of my most favorite quotes, a line from Toni Morrison’s
Paradise
, "If ever there came a morning when mercy and simple good fortune took to their heels and fled, grace alone might have to do."
Love,
Alana
