Last week marked the spring equinox for those of us in the northern hemisphere.

Equinoxes are turning points that have been celebrated across time, when seasons shift from winter to spring and from summer to fall. 

These moments highlight the interconnected cycles of life, reminding us that endings, death, and letting go are vital for new beginnings and transformation.

Recently, I spent a weekend visiting my daughter at law school. I arrived carrying goodies from home, and a good bit of worry—that is, until I saw life through her eyes.

For a long time, I believed that if I learned enough—read the right books, reflected deeply, went to therapy, and led with good intentions—my life would stay more or less on track and under control.

My Death Doula training reminds me that endings are not failures — they are natural and essential parts of living. Every goodbye, every change, every release asks something of us: to trust the unfolding, to stay present, and to love even as we let go.

Parenting, and really all of life, invites us to meet ourselves again and again. Sometimes that reflection comes through our children, sometimes through our partners, and sometimes—unexpectedly—through a mischievous cat.  Life holds up a mirror and asks us to look a little closer, to notice what’s being stirred, and to tend to it with compassion. 

Ya know how I said last month my daughter left for school? Well, I wasn’t empty nesting for long. My son is between houses and has moved in for a little bit while he looks for his next dwelling. It is terrific, and also slightly chaotic with a snake and a recalcitrant young feline in my small house, but we’re finding our way.