MIDDLE AGE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

But you feel more like yourself than you ever have. You feel a sense of agency…and DELIGHT. Ah, to be a human expression of life on Earth. Isn’t it amazing?

Sometimes you miss the pink and blue pegs in the little plastic car, and picking a card that delivers your next small fate... 

And once you are feeling sure-footed and gain some momentum, we will wave goodbye, and you will promise to send me a post card.

You are making YOUR OWN RULES now, and following YOUR OWN PATH, right off of that damn game board. 

It will illuminate your next right steps. You’ll dust yourself off and start walking in a new direction.

When you are ready, I’ll give you a hand, and you’ll stand up and look around and remember who you are. 

All you see is the boulder, so I’ll hold those visions for you, and I’ll sit with you while you grieve the loss of the way you thought your life was supposed to go...

Fucking boulder. 

What I see is your strength and your beauty. I see your potential.
I see many other paths you could take.
I see the many gifts you have to offer. 

You tell me how you thought you were doing everything right, and now this.

You laugh; you cry. You feel bereft. What will you do now?

 I say, “Oh, honey: your fists are bleeding from beating on this boulder. Take a deep breath. Let’s sit down. Tell me your story.” 

You pull out the instructions: there is nothing in the rule book about a giant boulder.

You rail against the boulder. It’s not budging.

 You are getting discouraged, even scared.  

A GIANT boulder on your path, totally blocking your way. DAMN. First you are shocked; then you are PISSED. How did this happen? This is not how the game is supposed to go.

 You're driving down the road in your little plastic car, following all the rules and all the road signs, dealing with all the normal advances and setbacks the best you can.