November 1, 2022

As we grow older, we are increasingly visited by the bitter fruit of loss and sorrow. Life is filled with more endings than beginnings, including the lives of friends and loved ones. Deep grief.

We slow down. Our faculties and capacities diminish and we are no longer able to do what we once could. No more standing on a ladder to clean the gutters. No more driving at night. No more marathons – well, for most of us.

Sour cherries, perhaps. But these are also the juicy bits. As Crone, we are called to not look away or become overwhelmed with regrets. We are called to slow down. We are called to turn and face this part of our life journey, understanding that in this we are called to greater love and compassion. We are called to be more compassionate and present for ourselves and others in authentic and deeply meaningful. In this, there is the time and space for communion at a soul level.

Mário de Andrade concludes The Valuable Time of Maturity with these words:

My goal is to reach the end satisfied
and at peace with my loved ones and my conscience.

And per Confucius “We have two lives
and the second begins when you realize you only have one.”

Sorrow and loss. These are the cherries that can offer deep peace and satisfaction. These are the juicy bits that signal we are living that second life. 

Blessings of Crone Wisdom,
Judith