Two days after Thanksgiving, I lost my mom.  Death, a natural part of the Circle of Life, visits each of us.  We are all touched by it sooner or later.  Knowing this does not make it easier when it takes a loved one from us.

Get ready- this is Thanksgiving week.  From now until the first of the year, it sometimes feels like a race!  

When trying to make changes to your lifestyle, emotional patterns, parenting, or relationships, it can be overwhelming to try to change old patterns all at once.  It could leave you discouraged or overwhelmed, tempting you to just give up.

Endings tend to cause us to reflect and take stock of  where we are in life- our goals, regrets, gratitudes- and may increase our understanding of ourselves.  

It takes conscious effort to focus on the positives, to be grateful for our experiences when life can be such a struggle at times.  But I believe that it can be helpful to restore our sense of balance, peace, and give us strength to deal with our circumstances.  

We all go through dry spells, rocky places in life and relationships just like the rocky places in the Harpeth.  Working together through the hard times is not always easy.  Sometimes you get stuck... and may need to ask for help. 

 The beauty in life may be hard to find, and the meaning of our struggles may be difficult to understand.  At those times, hope may be all that keeps us going.

I believe there is a way to fully face our past with honesty and courage, learn what we need to from our experiences, and then let go. Thomas Hardy, an English poet states it well: "If way to the better there be, it exacts a full look at the worst."

We all have the desire to have our voice heard. How many times have you felt frustrated because your spouse, family member or friend did not seem to really "hear" what you were saying?

Sometimes, it is just "comfortable" to hold on to what we know or are used to, and the thought of a new way of thinking, feeling, and acting seems to be scary "foreign territory." But like that cup, what we are holding on to may no longer be useful and healthy. Change takes courage.