Layers

movie within a movie, story within a story, play within a play...  with little thought many of us could name a work of art or piece of literature that contains such rich, multiple layers.  my mind goes immediately to the movie 'tootsie' in which we view the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of producing a tv soap opera.  talk about multi-layers!!

transformations are like that.  within major life transitions exist smaller transformations.  the major ones rely on the relatively minor ones to sustain the change.  layers upon layers of change that require adaptation and flexibility.

this has been a banner year for 'transformations within transformations'. 

• both donna and i are retired now, moving from a structured workday schedule, to a more relaxed, spontaneous lifestyle. 
• we decided to stay in our home for our retirement years
• health issues have become even more a life focus.

in order for these major transitions to be sustained, smaller transitions are in progress. 

• we are adapting to having more time together.  we try to create not only physical space but also space in our interests, pursuits, and hobbies.  and we also create times of shared space.  playing 'who wants to be a millionaire' every morning on the internet is a quick and fun example.
•  numerous changes have been made to our home to make it more accessible and functional.  a large outdoor patio was built so that i can have more freedom to enjoy our outdoor space.  it's been well worth the time and energy, not to mention the drain on our retirement savings. 
• shifts in health require making daily decisions about and minor corrections to diet, exercise, and emotional attitudes. theater tickets have to be rescheduled, social events postponed, and plans put on the back burner.  it's an annoying but necessary adaptation to the realities of life.

many more examples exist rivaling the layers of several russian nesting dolls.  the point is this:  transformations within transformations within even more transformations are essential to life itself.  and in this home, we are doing our best to meet those transitions with our best intentions and with our determined actions.