Changing Seasons: Exploring Life’s Transitions
“Seasons” is a wise metaphor for the movement of life, I think. It suggests that life is neither a battlefield nor a game of chance but something infinitely richer, more promising, more real. The notion that our lives are like the eternal cycle of the seasons does not deny the struggle or the joy, the loss or the gain, the darkness or the light, but encourages us to embrace it all – and to find in all of it opportunities for growth. ~ Parker Palmer
The year my parents turned 50 my brothers and I planned a joint surprise party for them. I remember looking at them at the party thinking they’d reached a kind of peak, in their work, at home, in their community. But as I move into my own middle age, I have been surprised at how differently this stage feels from what I expected. I don’t feel as though I’ve reached any kind of a peak – far from it! Instead, I have been amazed at how much I continue to learn in my work, in my home life, and about the world. I am not where I thought I’d be at this stage of my life. I’m surprised by how much I am still growing. ~Kristin Philipson
I am fine with being older, number-wise. What choice do I have anyway? But actually being old? Please. I recognize within myself an aversion to aging. And just where is that aversion coming from? No, really. Oh, could it be a little thing called societal pressure? Where old people are so often viewed as charming and interesting and so valuable for the experiences they have had, at best. And, at worst? They’re burdens, lonely and, sometimes, out of sight altogether. And to be an older woman… well… don’t get me started. Or am I making that up? True or not, what can I do about it? ~Winifred Hunsburger
How can we face life’s transitions with grace, integrity and courage? “Changing Seasons” is a retreat for people interested in exploring what it means to move through transitions and how we can enter into times of change in our lives with intention and openness.
If any of this sounds familiar and these questions intrigue you, we invite you to join us for a series of three seasonal retreats to explore for yourself the challenges and gifts of entering into a changing phase of life.
We’ll draw on the wisdom of folks like Parker Palmer, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Caryl Ann Casbon, and other elders to spur our thinking and open new perspectives. We’ll follow simple, elegant guidelines so that we can hear each other clearly and everyone feels heard.
If you need a better sense of what to expect before you sign up for the series, you might consider signing up for the fall retreat as an introduction.
The Center for Courage & Renewal and its facilitators do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status.
