This week, my son turned 13. Thirteen! It feels both surreal and completely natural, like an ending and a beginning all at once.

As I sat with this milestone, I realized how much it mirrors the thresholds we all face in life, not just in parenting, but in careers, relationships, and personal growth.

Every Season Has Its Beauty

At Trader Joe’s the other day, someone asked me what my favorite season was. When I was younger, I would’ve said summer without hesitation, my birthday, swimming, vacations, freedom. But now, I answered: “Right now. Whatever season I’m in.”

I feel the same way about my kids. People often ask, “What age has been your favorite?” And my honest answer? Whatever age they are right now. There are treasures in the toddler years, and there are treasures in having a teenager. The present moment always holds something worth celebrating.

The Bittersweet Duality of Emotions

Turning 13 feels like the end of an era. Childhood closes, and the teenage years begin. That’s bittersweet, filled with joy, gratitude, nostalgia, and a little sadness too. But I’ve learned both can coexist.

When we anchor emotions in love, they expand us. Joy mixed with nostalgia becomes gratitude. Sadness becomes safe to feel. But when emotions get filtered through worry, What if I didn’t do enough? What if the best days are behind me?  they contract and feel heavy.

The frequency we hold changes how we experience emotions. Love makes space. Worry makes us shrink.

The Power of Leaving Questions Open

My son came home recently saying his teacher told him he needed a plan for life. Seventh grade! And while I’m a planner at heart, I don’t believe we need all the answers at 13… or even at 43.

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is leave the questions open:

• I wonder if I’d like to work indoors or outdoors.

• I wonder how I could positively impact the world.

• I wonder what I’m meant to do that would truly help people.

Questions create freedom. Answers can sometimes create pressure. And the truth is, we are always allowed to change our minds.

Preparation and Trust

Preparation matters. I’ve seen it firsthand, from walking into my first classroom as a teacher at 22 to navigating the unknowns of parenting. Preparation gives confidence and calms nerves.

But ultimately, life always asks us to return to trust. There are things you can’t plan for until you’re in them. And trust is what carries you through those moments.

Each obstacle we’ve faced adds to our skillset, like a video game character picking up new powers along the way. You don’t need to be ready for 20 years from now, just for the next step.

A Threshold for Us All

As I cheer my son on stepping into his teenage years, I’m also cheering myself on in this new chapter of parenting. And I’m cheering you on, too. Whatever threshold you’re crossing.

Celebrate what has been. Honor the present moment. Step forward with trust instead of worry.

Because every ending is also a beginning, and every threshold holds possibility.

👉 Want to go deeper? Explore Within: A Return to Self , my 21-day journey into calm, clarity, and self-trust. Learn more here