Life Changes - Circle of Life - Dance in the Moment
Posted on August 26, 2024 by Jonathan Ger, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
We age and notice changes, new members of the family are born at the same time, and as we become aware of this, we live our lives in the moment!
Almost 14 years ago, I found myself deeply reflecting about the stages of life. It was at that time that I was dealing with deficits that were impossible to ignore in my father as he was becoming ill & aging. At the same time, a couple of my siblings had begun their journeys into parenthood. One of them, my youngest sister, had just had her first child.
My sister is 8 years younger than I am and I refer to her as “my baby sister”. As she started her motherly journey, my excitement was elevated because of who she is to me.
We all gathered at the home of my new nephew’s grandparents, my parents. The significance of these generational lines coming together wasn’t lost on any of us. After getting in “my time” with the little man, I sat back and watched my dad go through the experience. He seemed to become rejuvenated. My dad looked deeply at his newest grandson, and we could feel the energy of their spiritual connection. Some of his wisdom and love seeped through the cracks in the little man’s eyes while at the same time something wonderful creeped out. That newness, that vulnerability, that trust, and that “baby love” filled some of the voids in my dad’s heart. The voids that were there but unrecognizable to him. His joy faded a bit as some of the reality sunk in. I gently came by his side and spoke with words of love and a wink of humor to remind him of the funny, special connection that we had and for a split second his gleam returned. For just a moment, he was a younger, more vibrant man and he looked witty, smart, all knowing, and strong. I then blinked and it was gone. He began to fall asleep and the world around him (much like the world of the little ones) just became background scenery. Then my eyes; those of a man who was young enough to be vibrant and old enough to know and understand exactly what was going on began to fill with tears. All I wanted was for my dad to be able to fully enjoy this time; all I really wanted was for him to “be back”.
As I recall these memories, I am struck by the sweetness of that moment in time. My dad and my nephew had so many of the same things happening at the same time, but for very different reasons. One soul entered the world while another was being pulled to the next. Energy, emotions, wisdom, and curiosity went back and forth in such a tangible way that it was almost visible. My nephew’s eyes were wide open and taking it all in, while my father’s eyes had a shear shade over them as it became harder to see in & through.
These are serious life transitions that take place as we continue through the circle of life – it can test you, but it can also elevate you! This is not a sad story, but rather the true story of one life beginning while another moves towards the end. It is about shared experiences and about how LOVE can find its way through even the tiniest openings.
My Dad passed away in 2016, but his lessons continue to live in all of us. In my training we talked a lot about Dancing in the Moment…Not to be forgotten is that “the moment” is the only one that we know we have, so don’t just dance… LET YOUR HAIR DOWN AND DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING!!!
