A Melancholic Move

Melancholic Mississippi Move (Click picture for larger view)

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." ~ Anatole France (French Writer, 1844-1924)

Every transition in life comes with joy and sadness. With each a piece of life is given up. This is obvious in life's failures such as divorce or death of a loved one; but it also occurs with those events we consider "happy times". In marriage, a certain amount of independence is lost; and in childbirth, personal freedom is reined in as the well being of that child comes before your own desires.

The moving van in front of the home we lived in for fifteen years depicts this feeling for me and the cold misty fog didn't improve the mood. The move was welcomed, but under different circumstances. Relief rather than joy, uncertainty rather than expectation, and shadow rather than sunlight seemed to haunt this change. A small piece of our life was gone. How many parts of ourselves are lost and replaced by other new pieces before we are completely different people?

Submission for Moody Monday topic "melancholic". (end of post)