A comment about transitions from Joan Borysenko’s audiotape Inner Peace for Busy Womencaught my attention. Joan observed that it’s popular to talk about “transitions” as discrete units of time that have clear beginning and clear endings. Sometimes you’re in them and sometimes you’re not.

But Joan observed that, to her, life seems more like a permanent state of transition! I couldn’t agree more. Maybe it’s because I’m in my early 50’s, but it seems like the impermanence of life is more and more “in my face.” I’m ALWAYS letting go of something!

Right now I’m letting go as I watch my Dad cope with new developments as he struggles with a complex of neurological disorders. I’m letting go as I watch my daughter plan for a new chapter in her life that will take her to new locations and vistas. Frankly, I’m letting go as I recognize that I need more rest than I used to! I want to let go of my period, but THAT doesn’t seem to want to let go of me! I think I’m going to enter the Guinness Book of Records as a woman whose monthly cycles last into her 70s!

Which brings me to ONE of the biggest assets I’ve found for riding the waves of transition with more delight than dread: HUMOR! My husband has funny bones beyond his elbows....they are in every part of his body. HE is great at telling jokes and has a huge store of funny stories. I am not. But, I am good a poking light fun at myself and life.

Sometimes we wake up at 3 a.m. in the morning, responding to bladder calls. He says something or I say something. One or the other catches a pun. We end up laughing helplessly...and feel so close to each other. I live for those moments!

I don’t think humor has to be developed. It’s natural to us when we relax and learn not to take our lives and thinking too seriously. I found out a long time ago, as a therapist, that when I could have a good laugh with my clients, when I could keep a nice, easy, good feeling in a session; we would naturally seem to SEE more about how to get them back to health.

My colleague and friend, Priscilla, gave me a card a long time ago with a message I that I took to heart. It read, “Angels fly lightly because they don’t take themselves too seriously.”