Shannon's Corner

  Life transitions often bring uncertainty, loss, and the quiet work of becoming someone new. The season of Lent offers a meaningful framework for navigating these in-between places. At its heart, Lent is not simply about giving something up. It is a season of intentional reflection, release, and preparation for renewal — the same movement we experience in every life transition. Transitions begin with noticing what is changing. Lent invites honest reflection: What feels out of alignment? What is ending? What needs attention? Clarity begins with compassionately telling the truth about where we are. Lent gives permission to stop pretending everything is fine. It creates space to notice what is unfinished, tender, or ready to shift. Awareness is not failure — it is the doorway to growth. Every transition involves release — old roles, expectations, identities, or ways of coping. One of the most visible practices of Lent is letting go. People release habits, comforts, distractions, or p...

  Anniversaries have a way of arriving quietly and then suddenly filling the room. The anniversary of my mom’s death doesn’t always come with fresh tears or sharp pain. Sometimes it arrives as a soft ache. Other times, as gratitude. And sometimes, as a strange mix of both—love and loss holding hands in ways they never did before. This is one of the lesser-talked-about truths of grief: Grief doesn’t only come from loss. It also comes from   changed connections . When someone we love dies, the relationship doesn’t disappear—it transforms. The way we relate, remember, talk to, and carry that person changes. And that change itself is something we grieve. Many of us were taught—directly or indirectly—that grief has a timeline. That “doing well” means moving on, being strong, or finding closure. But grief doesn’t ask to be solved. It asks to be   tended . Grieving well doesn’t mean the pain goes away. It means we allow grief to have its proper place without letting it harden us...

  Valentine’s Day has a way of shining a bright light on relationships. Hearts appear in store windows, social feeds fill with roses and declarations, and the word   love   becomes unavoidable. For some, this day feels tender and affirming. For others, it can stir grief, loneliness, or a quiet sense of disconnection. In times of life transition, Valentine’s Day often presses a deeper question to the surface:  Who walks with me now? Transitions change our relationships. Some people remain steady companions. Others drift away—not always out of conflict, but because seasons shift. Roles change. Capacity changes. Sometimes   we   change. You may find yourself asking: ·         Who do I reach for now when things feel heavy? ·         Who truly sees me in this season? ·         Who feels safe to walk alongside the version of me that is still becoming? These ar...