Summer’s End

On By Alethea KehasIn Reflections
Photo taken in July at the Rachel Carson Wildlife Preserve in Wells, Maine

It’s nearly the end of summer, and almost three months since my last blog post. Now and then I thought about stopping to write, but I abandoned the idea for various reasons. During this fiery season, Life has wrapped her joy and loss around me in a shroud that has caused a fair amount of processing and examination. I suspect I am not alone. We are each trying to navigate this labyrinth of uncertainty where kindness is woven into cruelty as love reaches out her arms to marry hate. Asking, perhaps in each moment, how much can be held at once.

This yogi meditating troll can be found at the Southern Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine.

My individual journey this summer has led me to an acceptance without resignation. My eagerness to push my long-held dream of creating a wellness sanctuary in nature into reality has caused me to face disappointments and realizations that initially felt monumental, but which were in reality merely pauses and opportunities to reassess and redirect. In early August, the month of my birth, I lost a beloved canine companion, Zelda, and was pushed out moved on from a soul-crushing job.

Zelda enjoying her final nap at the lake that she loved

There is a period of unease, an adjustment to unsettlement, that comes with a series of sudden changes, especially unexpected ones. We learn during these times what forms and defines us. We learn what needs to release before the rebuilding begins. I am getting used to the gifts of a quieter house as I scrub away the stains and welcome in the autumn air. I am finding comfort in the gift of solitude, and this time offered for letting go the hold of unfounded fears.

Sunset, Edgecomb, Maine

There is a profound peace the rises when one sits with potential. The stirrings of magic that bubble up through the strata of self is nothing other than joy. Suddenly the palette becomes infinite, the canvas without borders. The human mind, its only limitation. Or maybe it’s not in fact the mind, but its emotions. Letting go of the known and embracing the yet-to-be-defined is not without entanglements. Yet we do not go through life without support even when we believe the structure has collapsed.

A monarch butterfly outside my front door

The losses that have come along my path this summer have not been catastrophic, but they have nudged me towards reclaiming my origin story. They have brought me back to residing with my truth and not something that has been manufactured out of fear. The summer has gifted me with the opportunity to open to something that is still being defined. The imaginal cells are stirring, they are finding bonds, they are starting to form their potential. As always, life it is to-be-continued.

22 thoughts on “Summer’s End”

  3. I’m inspired by your word; in so many places reading brings me to similar pauses. I’m so sorry for the loss of your beloved dog. Your perspective with mind and emotions seems deeply navigated with equipoise. 💗 Sending love! Happy Belated Birthday— sounds like it’s close to mine! I long for solitude, actually. The hate in the world is very hard to consistently witness. Your photos also have touched my heart and brought in gentleness. I hope your desire to build the sanctuary gets the live and energy it deserves from additional supports!

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    1. Thank you, Ka. I appreciate your words. This quiet time has been a needed gift, and I believe this new space will help create the sanctuary that is waiting to find a reality. I will be updating how things progress through my blog. Take care 💕

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  4. That beautiful butterfly is an embodiment of so much you have expressed in your words. I’m so sorry that Zelda is gone. Your job, perhaps, was a welcome release, even if unexpected. Now there is room for something new. That landscape looks like it is waiting to be filled. (K)

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  7. I’m so sorry about the loss of your sweet Zelda and know how hard that is. Thank you for giving her a good life full of love. When I read the question, how much can be held at once, I thought about letting go and holding what is most important at that moment. Your photos are beautiful. Life is to be continued. I like that.

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