My husband and I are really excited about the home we’re moving into this summer.   It’s a beautiful old house near the Gloucester Harbor.   There’s a big front porch, a deck off the back, a little yard, and – possibly best of all – lots of storage space!

But I don’t want to move in and automatically fill up all that storage space.  So I’ve been weeding all our belongings.  And it’s really, really hard.

Our moving happens to coincide with the end of my last year teaching preschool.  I’ve taught at the same school for seven years and, although the decision to leave was all mine, it is bittersweet.  As I weed through all my children’s books and teaching supplies, I’m facing a change in my identity.  That just makes the weeding process even more difficult.

This whole process is a good reminder for me of the range of emotions my clients feel when they are in the process of transition.  And I’m needing to take my own advice:  when life is in flux, we need to be able to give ourselves some compassion.  And perhaps ask for some as well.

So, dear world, I am feeling a little fragile right now and am asking you to please handle me with care.