As a baby boomer, Motown music is part of my heart. It makes me happy—and it makes me want to move. A recent mix of mine worked its way through Gladys Knight, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and Stevie Wonder, until it turned to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ “Nowhere to Run.”
It’s a GREAT song and made me think about where I am in life.
The challenges of the last few months have been difficult but instructive. As the music played, I realized that the lyrics say it all…in this Chapter, there truly is no place to run or hide. There is simply the willingness to deal head-on with the aspects of this life stage.
Our life has changed, our bodies, our brains, our lifespan, our careers, our relationships and the way we structure—and live—our days.
We can try to avoid, evade, deflect or use other means of not coming to grips with the changes, but, damned son, there’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
Instead, this transition requires the following:
- Acknowledgment that you’re in a new stage
- Bravery to deal with the transition
- Change viewed as a positive
Yes, I could say it’s as simple as A, B, C…but that would be lame because, from my experience, it ain’t easy. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. As the old saying goes, ‘it is what it is’ and if you’re stuck, recognize there is help out there.
I’ve made progress since the opening days of 2022 and I feel good about that. I’m not ‘there’ yet, and I expect I will experience bad days, but it is in my control to actively engage, explore and courageously get myself out there.
Tell me, what are you experiencing and what are you thinking about?
