Little Summary: I am redefining transitions as a visceral, often unglamorous process of moving from the comfortable to the vulnerable. By rejecting a "heroine" script of effortless mastery, I embrace the angst and shivers inherent in major life changes —whether they are domestic duties like caring for disabled children, the profound sadness of grief, or the quirky surrender of being "owned" by a dachshund.
Prefer to listen? Press play below for the audio version:
Last weekend, in a fit of god-knows-why because my week was crammed, I said yes to a (5 minute max) audio challenge put out by Laura Oldfield for her Substack Sound Circle. She’s a ballsy talent who is setting bi-weekly themes and whoever says “hell yeah” is in. TRANSITIONS here we come.
The theme, this time around. Before I share my thoughts on which transition to share, I’m wondering about you.
If you had to talk for five mins about a transition, what would you talk about? Tell me in the comments!
Here’s what I did.
In the past week I dug into topics with their various shades, and impacts. I carried Laura in my pocket and when she got bored by the dark, up my sleeve. Together we moved through ideas and into indecision. That’s how it felt although, we didn’t chat in real-time.
The Shiver of Change: Arctic Dreams and Birth Realities
Would telling my transition to being an Arctic explorer who flopped (unlike legend and friend Fiona Thornewill, above), be interesting? Or that moment in birth called transition, that for me, involves uncontrollable shivering.
Could one of these capture my creative urge?
That’s where this has to start.
Domestic Duty: The Transition of the Mundane
I was folding laundry thinking of the many transitions one pair of socks makes to find their way onto my tweens stinky toes. Which took me to the two hour lead in transition of getting disabled kids into a bath or shower.
But I couldn’t contain either in under five minutes.
The Weight of Loss: Navigating the Sad Transitions
I revisited being with my big brother as he transitioned from life last March. What about if I talked of the moment I was called with the news my 49 year old gay best friend had died in his bed? He was found with his hound by his side.
My stomach couldn’t take it. Laura gave me a squeeze and we carried on.
INTO THE STEAMY
I considered something from when I researched <long story short> hedonistic consumption in sex shops. But “No”, I told myself.
It was time to stop reminiscing.
“The facts were right there in front of me to see. But the truth was right there inside of me to feel” ~ Glennon Doyle
The Feral Shift: Reclaiming the Truth Inside
Introducing Dickie Van der Sausage, who says hi. He was convinced he’d be the subject of my audio clip. He wanted me to tell you about my dog-less days and how I transitioned into being owned by him.
He sat on my lap during recording, majestic as a prize.
Imagine then, if you will, his chagrin when I switched onto the transition that occupies my focus the most.
As I write he’s burrowed into his customary cocoon of a bed, dreaming of Laura, and the word MASTER.
In the end, my audio is about why I chose to move from comfortable to vulnerable in my night job. This transition is laced with angst and the occasional glimmer of accomplishment. It’s early days in my transition1.
If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll tune in or if you prefer read the transcript. Fancy letting me know what my short audio challenge clip sparked for you?
Meet me in the comments!
Thanks for being here and supporting my work at Parents Who Think on Substack.
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