The Myth of Beautiful Beginnings and Sad Endings

Hello all,

In the past month or so that I have been obviously MISSING from my blog (and  for the 2 or 3 people who read this, I apologize), I've been pondering a few things.


Namely how people view and describe beginnings and endings.

Beginnings are usually described in  glowing terms--beautiful, exciting, auspicious.  
Unsurprisingly, endings are described in contrasting terms--sad, bittersweet, heart wrenching.

Why?

There are always exceptions of course, but you know, I'm starting to think that out here in the real world, beginnings aren't always glorious, and endings aren't always heartbreaking.

Consider beginnings.
The beginnings of things occur when we are embarking into the unknown.

Beginning a new relationship.  A new job.  Beginning a trip, or a long-awaited sequel to a movie or book.

All unknowns, some more nerve-wracking than others.  But  unknowns nonetheless.

And friends, the unknown is fairly terrifying most of the time.  As adults we may hide our nerves and paranoid worries and illogical little fears of tiny, uncontrollable details...

But all our hiding does not change the fact that most beginnings are more terrifying than sublime.   Even the stereotypically beautiful and glorious beginnings are terrifying.  

Don't believe me?

How about 2 people getting married and beginning a new life together?
I would argue there is a whole lot of fear wrapped up in all the  excitement and love.

A new baby or child?
Absolutely terrifying.  I assure you.

New job?
Terrifying.



Now consider endings.
If beginnings can be terrifying, then endings surely can be beautiful and peaceful, holding a  sense of completion and release.

Even what most of us (including me) would feel are sad endings can have elements of this beauty.

Endings that mark the transitions of life have a certain beauty to them.

Graduations.
A grown child leaving home.
A departure or retirement from a well-loved job.
Moving  to a new faraway place.

These hold the beauty of  closure.   The reward for the cycle that began with all the terror of long-ago beginnings, coming to  a logical, quiet end.  

And even the most painful endings--the end of a relationship or the end of a life--can hold a certain quiet beauty.  

Because after the upheaval of the moment of ending, and after the terrifying beginning of a new life without the person who is now gone, the beauty is hiding.  Waiting.

The beauty of memories.
Of shared stories about someone missed.
The beauty of seeing the subtle genetic shadows of someone now gone in children and grandchildren.


Beginnings can indeed  be terrifying.
And endings can be utterly lovely.

Life is often about contradictions like these, and life rarely behaves the way we think it should.



Until next time....