Strength, optimism help in all of life’s transitions

Every photo stirs a memory, like a window to the past.
Each drawer holds stories ready to be retold, some including details I never knew.
Christmas letters from 30-40 years ago took me back to a different place in time, connecting dots with details long forgotten. All wonderful family memories!
What I had expected to be a physical task of moving boxes and furniture ended up more like a trip through time this weekend, and that journey has only just begun. There are many more boxes and drawers to go through, in fact whole rooms full of memories yet to process, all in due time.
I spent much of the weekend with my mother at my childhood home in Imperial, going through drawers and boxes to help prepare for a pending transition. Mom hasn’t moved since she and Dad built that house on the corner of West 7th and Court streets in 1978, but she’s ready to turn the page now toward the next chapter of her life.
Moving from your home to an independent living facility is such a major decision. My parents worked hard and volunteered in many ways to make an impact on their hometown, and one of those roles involved the senior living facilities, including Imperial Parkview Heights. Dad served on the board and helped lead a major construction project years ago, and they both made it clear that when the time comes for them to make that move they will not hesitate.
Though Dad passed away years ago his legacy remains visible, reflected by a bench in a beautiful courtyard area named “Johnson Gardens” in his honor. Mom is doing so well and has enjoyed the independence of living in her own home, but let the family know recently that she is ready to make the move. “Johnson Gardens” was no doubt a factor in her decision.
Words cannot portray how proud I am for the strength she has shown in planning for this transition. I’ve heard so many stories of heart-ache from families who struggle knowing when, or if, the time is right, especially when Mom or Dad don’t want to leave their home. My mother chose to make the move on her terms, with all of her children’s love and full support. 
And yet, the process itself can be daunting.
Paula and I spent a full day attacking Mom’s home office, which is filled to the brim with photos, letters, documents and memorabilia from 88 years of living. There was a box in the hallway with each kid’s name on it, one for the community center, another for the church and a pile to be discarded. We made progress, but there is much work to be done. I know I was exhausted after just one day, so I can only imagine how Mom must feel.
The good news is that her three-room apartment will be ready in a couple of weeks and she can focus for now on just what she needs to make that new space feel like home. I saw excitement in her eyes as we planned what furniture she’ll need, and even a sense of peace as we visited a lifelong friend who lives just two doors down, both sharing memories of all the New Year’s Eve and birthday parties they shared with their late husbands.
My parents taught me by example that home is where your heart is, and I believe that’s true at every stage of life. I know that there are many more memories to make and share and cherish in your new digs, Mom. 
Yet again, you have taught me a most valuable life lesson just by being you.
KURT JOHNSON can be reached at kjohnson@ hamilton.net