Season of Change

You could smell it in the air this morning. Just a hint; a barely-there whiff of autumn. And you know what that means ... summer is on her last legs and her days are numbered. It's last call.

This summer has been a season of loss, transition and change. The shape and face of our family shifted and is forever changed; several of my loved ones suffered turmoil and personal devastation; and Kidlet embraced her new found freedom that driving and her new job provided. She is bracing herself for her last year of high school and hockey - and emotions are running high. It's got me thinking about what her absence will mean to me and this house next year. Her transitions are also mine.

We sent my nephew off on his west coast adventure yesterday - it involved a slew of barbecued burgers, boiled sweet corn, and cake!

In the past few months we also lost icons from the entertainment and political worlds. Ted Kennedy's passing really hit home for me. I had come to respect and admire him as I followed his record in the Senate and his passing marks the end of an era ... and the dawn of another. I am hoping that his life will serve as an inspiration to the next generation to take up the fight for the greater good of humankind.

Change can be overwhelming and the unknown - a little frightening. But in all things, change is a certainty. I have found when we embrace it and seek the gifts it bears, the winds of change can take us into the unexplored waters of opportunity. We just need to be fearless, set the course, leave the harbour and enjoy the voyage.

So as we transition from summer and prepare to greet autumn, I have a renewed sense of optimism and expectation. And I welcome that familiar feeling like an old friend.