I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the space in between.

Not about the space in between objects, or locations on a map, but the space in between life events…changing employment or homes, changing marital status,  leaving high school for college, or college for career, leaving employment for retirement….  In addition to those life choices, there are also life events — sometimes joyous, sometimes grief-bearing  —  over which we have no say.

I’ve been thinking about this lately because I am moving from one part-time, long-term position at a mission-driven non-profit to a full-time position at another such organization. As much as I’m looking forward to the new position, I’ve been surprised at the maelstrom of emotions I’ve felt at leaving.

The image that has come to mind is of the artist on the high flying trapeze.

There is great comfort in standing securely on the platform, getting ready to take off. But once you’re hurtling through time and space, once you release your grip on one bar in the expectation of being caught by another, that transitory period before you land safely on the next platform produces a sense of high anxiety.

Imagine for a moment simply being able to enjoy the freedom and exhilaration of flying through the air with the wind streaming through our hair. But most of us don’t do that. We fret and grow anxious. We chastise ourselves for not being braver or more intrepid. We fear the insecurity of having lost control, if even momentarily.

I daresay, we all have our high flying trapeze moments. The thing we must trust is that everything we’ve done up to now has prepared us to launch safely though that space in between, and to land securely on the next platform, wherever that may be.

Editorial published in the April 1 issue of Beyond the Nest’s FREE weekly newsletter of Arts, Culture and Recreation.