“It is finished.” The final words of Jesus are being spoken today all over the world in Christian gatherings on this Good Friday. They have always seemed to be such powerful words to me. For many faithful Christians, it is an important turning point in Jesus’ mission on earth. He had this hard path to walk and he did it. With great love. With deep commitment. With inspired purpose. He walked the path.

It does not surprise me that as I pushed the button on my keyboard to end my final session as a therapist, the words, “It is finished” whispered through my mind. No, I do not see myself as a messiah. But as I told a friend this morning, my work as a therapist always seemed to feel more like a calling than a profession. I did not do this work only from my heart, but from my soul. It is something I did with great love. With deep commitment. With inspired purpose.

How does it feel to say it is finished? Empty. Sad. Complete. Fulfilled. Adrift. It is a true emotional smorgasbord. And I can’t help but think more emotions are going to be added to the buffet as I grieve the loss of this beloved profession and the people I have cared for so lovingly. And at the same time, I know finishing this commitment leaves time and space for rebuilding and transformation in my life. In my body, In my mind, In my spirit. Knowing this leads me to sip from the sweet water of anticipation.

It is finished. It is beginning.