“Right now I want a word that describes the feeling that you get--a cold sick feeling, deep down inside--when you know something is happening that will change you, and you don't want it to, but you can't stop it. And you know, for the first time, for the very first time, that there will now be abeforeand anafter, awasand awill be. And that you will never again quite be the same person you were.”
— Jennifer Donnelly
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We all reach moments that permanently split our lives into a 'before' and an 'after.' As Jennifer Donnelly wrote: "Right now I want a word that describes the feeling that you get... when you know something is happening that will change you, and you don't want it to, but you can't stop it. And you know... that there will now be a before and an after, a was and a will be. And that you will never again quite be the same person you were." If you are walking through an unexpected chapter of change today, remember that transformation is often the birthplace of your deepest strength. Have you ever experienced a defining turning point that changed who you are?
About this quote
Life has a quiet, profound way of drawing an invisible line in the sand, dividing our existence into two distinct chapters: who we were before a defining moment, and who we must become after it. That cold, sinking realization—when you know life is shifting irrevocably and you are powerless to pause the clock—is one of the most universally poignant human experiences. It is the tender grief of bidding farewell to a familiar version of your world and yourself, long before you feel ready to step into the unknown. Yet, standing on the threshold of an unavoidable turning point is also where our greatest resilience is forged. While you cannot stop the tides of change or shield yourself from every sorrow, you can choose the grace and patience with which you navigate the transition. Acknowledging that the 'before' has passed does not mean the 'after' is devoid of light or purpose; it simply means your heart is being asked to expand to hold a deeper, more profound truth. If you currently find yourself caught in the turbulence of an irreversible shift, give yourself permission to mourn what was. Trust that even when your foundation trembles, you are not unraveling—you are making room for strength, wisdom, and empathy you didn't know you possessed. The person you become on the other side will carry the memory of the storm, but also the unshakable knowledge that you were strong enough to survive it.
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Photo by Matthew McLennan on Unsplash
