A gainst a low winter sun, the migrating geese looked like celestial beings returning to this land. In what feels like pitch-black times, their arrival on these shores is a reminder that solace and hope come in many forms.
Director Ken Wardrop’s new film opens with scenes of fresh snow and sparkling winter light. All around, people are preparing for the most wonderful time of the year, but for some, it’s anything but wonderful.
It’s been there for a while, this low-level anxiety that I hadn’t given a name to. I’m at a time in my life when midlife mood swings, forgetfulness and rage may be the stuff of jokey memes. But this stage of perimenopause, the transitionary period preceding menopause, is anything but funny.
I couldn’t have been more than 10 years old when I heard these words uttered by an adult who happened upon my small triumph. Its impact was solid, like a mallet cracking a nut. It wasn’t the first time I’d hear sayings like this one. Later, as I grew, other phrases with similar intent like ‘don’t get too big for your boots’, or ‘know your place’ were also delivered by various adults.