If you take a moment to think about it, life is nothing but transition. Every one of us is in a constant state of change, no matter who or where we are.
For starters, you can go the very literal route, with examples like the cell turnover rate at the foundation of our bodies or that when you finish reading this sentence, you will be a few seconds older.
However, I want to point out the more obvious transitions—the ones frequently marked as milestones and are often cause for celebrations or even periods of grief. Because usually, when we look back and reflect, the more significant changes become how we measure our lives. Like lighthouses, they are the beacons that pinpoint the various destinations and seasons we sail through. They shine and help us remember the beautiful, the bad, and everything in between.
These points of transition—birthdays, new friend groups, jobs, hobbies, cities, relationships—play a massive role in shaping who we’ve been and who we are becoming.
I’ve been reflecting and thinking about change a lot this summer. Two of my sisters graduated high school, marking the start of their next stages of life. My adorable nephew, still not a year old, is undergoing constant change, as he seems to be growing by the day. I also have a friend who is wrapping up medical school and a few others who are moving to new cities for employment offerings. A long-term friendship that I once cherished also sadly had to come to an end.
One of the biggest changes this summer, however, is that I recently moved into a new apartment—one that I’m lucky and thrilled to be transforming into a home I’m proud of. It’ll be the shell where many transitions will continue to happen in my life.
It’s where I’ll be when I finish writing my first novel. It’s in this apartment that I’ll turn 29 later this month and also step into an entirely new decade as I turn 30 next year. I’m also committed to my journey of becoming a healthier me—physically, mentally, and spiritually—and this home will be where that process continues.
All this to say, I’m in the midst of a lot of change—some exciting, some scary. But I’m happy to continue documenting and processing it all here in Cristian’s Commonplace, which will help me remember as I encounter more and more change.
So, whatever change you’re also going through, big or small, just know that I’m grateful to be journeying with you. How wonderful is it to experience life unraveling before us?
