TRANSITIONS

Transitions is a novel about three cousins who spent childhood summers at their grandmother's house near the ocean in Northern Calfornia. Each has warm memories of that time, the closeness they shared, and of Frank, their grandmother's neighbor who shared with them his knowledge of the natural world--and experiences that went beyond everyday reality. After their grandmother's death, many years later, the three meet at her house once again to make decisions about the property she has left them.

Caroline has spent the last two years living with her grandmother, taking care of her as her health declined. Divorced, with children now grown, and having no job experience, she has concerns about where the future will take her.

Joshua's childhood fascination with plants has led him to a career as a biology teacher. Though still having a strong connection with plants, he now finds conventional teaching less than rewarding. His family situation has become unsettled, leaving him equally unsettled and distressed.

Elizabeth, longing to paint, is a graphic designer. Her two friends and business partners have left the previous year and Elizabeth is struggling to keep the business afloat and her current relationship alive.

The three cousins step cautiously into their reunion, hesitating to disrupt childhood memories with present realities. However, in their days together they not only call up shared memories but find renewed connection as they reveal circumstances from their separate lives that have shaped who they are today. Change and growth has played an important role for each of them. They also find that Frank has remained large in their memories and has influenced their present lives.

The book's underlying theme is connection: connection with one's inner being, with other people, with the natural world, with a sense of place, and with other levels of consciousness. At the deepest level, finding a spiritual connection in the midst of everyday life is presented as a possibility.