Endings

1 December 2024

It has been a week of lasts for our family as our youngest child finished primary school. I am struggling to process these words as I type them. We no longer have a kid in primary school. We will no longer be returning to Clifton Notties as parents. It’s crazy.

Clifton Notties has been 5 years of our lives. Becoming part of the school was life changing in itself. We continue to be hugely grateful for the opportunity of having our children educated there for part of their school days. We are still trying to take in the enormity of this privilege.

The lasts were very emotional, they still are. I was reflecting on the 5 years and then, oh the horror! The realisation that as quickly as these past 5 years has gone, in 5 years more our youngest will be finishing her Matric finals. SO sobering. And honestly, devastating. Is this phase one of empty nest syndrome?

I might sound a tad dramatic. But I guess it’s just where I’ve been and where I am at and it does feel big. It’s a lot.

Today, the opportunity to process has arrived and I’m so thankful. Not everything can be processed with words. In fact, sometimes words get in the way of deeper processing. Drawing, painting, or any creative activity that takes us more into our right brain processing can be very helpful at times like this.

Losing myself in drawing something from nature this morning has been good for my soul. I am no artist. I have no expectation of myself to be an artist or for what I draw to even look good. I simply enjoyed sitting outside and not using my words. This is journalling, just as much as writing in my journal is. This is not the end of processing the endings, but it’s a great start and I realise I will be processing the transition for many weeks to come.

How are you processing any endings or transitions you’re going through right now?

Have you ever wondered how to use journalling in your process of life? I’d love to invite you to my FREE journalling session on Wednesday 4 December. I will talk through a little about the benefits of journalling, and give you two tools to use as a catalyst to your own processing.