Sonya - celebrating an ending preceding a new beginning - December 2000
A dear friend of mine sent me a New Year’s wish and included the following quote. “Celebrate endings—for they precede new beginnings.” by Jonathan Lockwood Huie. This well-wish got me to thinking, how often do I really celebrate endings? Or, for that matter, how often do any of us really take time to celebrate? And, I’m not talking about Holidays. It is easy to take a break and celebrate a Holiday especially when rest of the office, industry, country or world is doing it. We have a tendency to focus on special life events to celebrate like birthdays, weddings, christenings and births but what about celebrating endings versus beginnings?
If you really thought about it, how often do you pause and celebrate an ending in anticipation of a new beginning?
This a tough question (for me anyway) because when I think of endings I think of negative life changes like death, break-ups, job losses and the list can go on with life’s disappointments. But in reality, how many of us reflect on the previous year’s accomplishments, memories or even disappointments; and, celebrate them whether it is saying goodbye to being a year younger; to being single; or you can fill in the blank? It is hard to celebrate the end of anything unless you are talking about graduations or retirements – that is different!
As I think about it, the last ending I celebrated was my cancer treatment. I entered the millennial with a diagnosis of cancer; and, it all began in January with treatments. I ended the treatments in December and celebrated my victory by going to a spa resort in Florida. I exercised, walked the beach, received spa treatments (twice a day). Yes, I celebrated an ending because I knew it was preceding a new beginning!
In the last two years, we have had two significant family losses – I lost my mother and father-in-law. With that said, they both lived life well and long; and, we celebrated their lives. My mother passed away first and lived in another state; so, we flew there and stayed in a hotel. In addition to the memorial service, we had a weekend of festivities and celebrations around her funeral and burial. Less than 6 months later, my father-in-law passed away. My daughter was 10 at the time and she exclaimed, “Are we going to have a big party for Papa too?” Many refer to funerals as a “going home celebration” and my daughter truly captured the essence of celebrating an ending; yet, while we know it is a celebration for those that leave us it is hard to anticipate the beginning that comes after their “going home celebration” is over.
I believe that the author of the quote challenges us to stand on top of the ending (like a mountain) to see the new on the horizon just like an experience of a graduation or ending cancer treatment. There is so much hope present. The new is out there somewhere and we can first only start that journey because one is ending. How many times have you heard someone say “if (blank) wouldn’t have happened I would not have experienced this (blank)? It was a blessing in disguise.”
Yes, I agree with Jonathan Lockwood Huie to “Celebrate endings—for they precede new beginnings.” This year, I am challenging myself, and you to take the time to pause in anticipation of a new beginning and celebrate each ending with eagerness that there is endless hope of new beginnings that we cannot yet see. I plan on it. I hope you do too. Happy New Year!
Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and the Founder of the eRetailer Summit and JC Event Group. An expert in her field, Sonya has been published in numerous retail industry b-to-b publications. Sonya shares her experiences in her book series Mindful Minutes: A Marketer’s Journey Through Business. In addition, Sonya collaborated in publishing an anthology, Mentoring Moments: 14 Remarkable Women Share Their Breakthroughs to Success. To purchase Sonya’s books go to AMAZON.
Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter and they live in Trumbull, Connecticut.
Follow Sonya on twitter at @jarvisconsult or @eretailersummit