|
7/9/2018 2 Comments little wingsthe past few weeks have been made up of me trying to master the art (as if there was such a thing) of closing up a season of life as i brave a new one. after about 21 years of living in the same house with all things familiar — from my nightstand with the flower stickers i decorated it with a decade ago to the wooden bench in the kitchen to dozens of pictures that blanket the fridge — i had to figure out a way to bring closure to a season of life that had been so, so generous to me. i wrestled with striking the balance between wading through nostalgic feelings as i sat on my green carpet & sifted through basically every letter i’ve kept since i was 8 (i have a few hoarder tendencies) & mentally moving on from them after i felt i paid them a courteous mind. i spent the weeks leading up to my move to colorado with learning how to find the appropriate grip on the past & its precious & painful memories without suffocating them but rather, holding them with a loose grip, giving them air to breathe, then letting them fly.
the night before i boarded the plane, i gave my niece a sweatshirt about ten sizes too big for her & sunglasses that she might never wear again other than when she walked out of my bedroom glowing & i kissed my nephew’s cheeks knowing they wouldn’t feel the same a few months from now & i hugged my sister goodbye & memorized her familiar embrace. i locked eyes with my dad’s bright blue ones a tad bit longer than usual & clenched my eyelids when my aunt gave me a third hug goodbye & when i hugged my mom goodnight, she told me it was time to “flap my little wings” as she made the motion with her hands & i let a few more tears run down my cheeks. little wings. what a beautiful thought. & with that saying tucked in my back pocket, i boarded the plane, all too giddy for the adventures & lessons & growth to come. & whether we’re moving or not, i’m realizing that we all need little wings for life. i’m convinced they don’t even need to be big ones — little ones will do just fine. we need little wings when we need just a little courage to get a little height out of our comfort zones so we can soar. cheesy, i know. but i think my mom is onto something. what if with every uncertainty we could grow brave instead of afraid, fueled by ambition instead of anxiety? what if little wings were all we needed to set a goal for today or reach out to a friend we haven’t talked to in years or make an anonymous donation to someone who needs it or invite someone who feels left behind over for a meal or do something — anything — that makes our soul feel alive? what if God looked down from his throne in heaven & saw millions of little wings that finally figured out what it takes to take flight, doing millions of small acts of kindness & becoming more & more like light? what if little wings were all we needed to wildly pursue our passions & create an absurd amount of beautiful things & live a life of ridiculous generosity? i don’t know much, but i know we were made to move far past what makes us feel comfortable. we were made to flap our little wings, muster up a little bit of courage, gain a little bit of height & soar into the places that make us feel a little bit dangerous & a lot more alive.
2 Comments
Margaret Kuiken
7/15/2018 07:41:54 pm
Beautiful, uplifting words, Bethany... thank you! I'm going to think every day on getting my little wings up and running and pray for yours 🦋
Reply
Mandy Minnema
7/17/2018 06:25:44 pm
Love this!! You captured the moments perfectly... & Laityn (& Evan!) have worn those sunglasses just about every day since 😘
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
October 2020
Categories |