My oldest kid is 5 and recently started kindergarten at our neighborhood school. He had an unintentional, life milestone kind of adventure recently. A friend had picked him up from school and stopped at a fun swing on the walk home. The caregiver-friend stepped outside of his line of sight. Being somewhat impulsive and a take-charge kind of kid, he looked up from his deep focus on swinging to conclude (incorrectly) he was left behind. Not seeing the adult just steps away from him, and with confidence, he embarked on a 15-20 minute walk home through the urban canyonlands of Southern California to the friends’ home. Our friend was understandably worried, though it all worked out fine and wow did my kid have a story to tell and leadership moment in the early days of his Kindergarten experience.

I keep thinking about this.

How proud I was that he could find his way when he thought he was lost and that he took care of his friend who was less confident in that canyon setting.

How fortunate he was able to complete the ordeal, uninterrupted by danger. (In hindsight, of course, I am able to say this.)

How, in completing the journey, he learned something that I suspect he will carry with him in his identity and self-knowing for years to come.

How this whole experience felt like an unplanned ritual or coming of age that marked the introduction of new freedom and responsibility (however unplanned). The beginning of him doing things by himself and showing his (still small) world what he is capable of accomplishing on his own.

How grateful I was for the circumstances in my own life that day that I had the presence of mind to celebrate these things with him first then fill in the missing information later. (My kid now understands to stay in one place if he ever thinks he is lost again! And to ask a helper or another parent for help.)

I keep thinking about this whole little story as a metaphor for transformation in my own life.

How I sometimes feel lost and take action before I look around and take in my surroundings and resources.

How the call is strong to cross into adventure for my particular personality, but sometimes I can confuse a call for adventure and transformation with feeling restless with no particular call or decision. How my wisdom must be to see the difference.

How there is a decision to move into learning, adventure, ordeal, wilderness, but there is also a decision to leave it and rejoin the world.

That this the end of a liminal time for many, and we can learn a lot about organizations and leaders in how they approach that reentry.

How the way in which we rejoin the world matters and must be witnessed and celebrated in modern ceremony and finding meaning and ritual in the process is a weighty responsibility and kindness that we can carry for our close friends and colleagues. (And perhaps, children).

Finally, before I sign off, I want to share a book recommendation that has shaped my thinking in this post. I’ve been enjoying Reboot for the many truth bombs and listening to this related podcast recently. There’s a great visual from the discussion that describes a heroes journey as it relates to transformation and the story above.