Transition to Bliss

I just spent three great days camping with my two boys, and a group of mamas and their kids. It was so great to be in the woods. At one point I spent a half an hour watching the kids play in the creek, and test their confidence on a pretty tricky log that bridged over the fast-moving stream. At first, Ben slid across on his hands and knees. The next time he walked sideways, inching. By the third and fourth times, he was practically running across. I sat far enough away so that I wasn't close enough to give instructions, nor close enough to ask for help. I got to just take in the sunshine, trees, water running over rocks, and the gushing confidence that came out of each kid.

The absolute worst part about camping was 1) the getting out of the house in the first place and 2) leaving. I've realized something about myself - once I decide something, I'm pretty impatient to get there. The kids sense my stress level, and pretty soon they are bouncing off the walls, as I'm trying to pack food for the week and their clothes and all our gear. In kid-speak, we'd call that someone who has "trouble with transitions". Indeed.

It was the same thing with leaving. An hour before, I was in camping bliss but as soon as I had "an eye on leaving" as my friend said, it was all over. When Alex took 20 minutes longer than the others to walk back from the creek, I practically dragged him along I was getting so frustrated. And I packed the kids in and drove them to the bathroom on the way out, rather than waste another half hour meandering to and from the loo.

The transition to bliss can be a tricky one. So it is with life I think as well. I'm impatient to get to the next stage for our family - can't everyone see it? I want to drag everyone along with my vision of what is clearly the best path for everyone.  Though change is coming, it isn't coming nearly as fast as I would like. And I waver between wanting to force things (anything!) to happen and just trying to breathe in this transition time, and do the best I can.