Loss, Change, and Renewal: Reflections on 9/11 and Perimenopause

Every year on September 11th, we pause to remember.

We remember the lives lost, the bravery shown, and the way the world shifted in an instant. The anniversary of 9/11 is not only about history—it’s about grief, resilience, and the reminder that life is fragile and precious.

Moments like these stir something deep within us. They remind us of our own mortality, the inevitability of change, and the importance of cherishing every day we’re given.

The Universal Language of Loss

Loss comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s public and collective, like 9/11. Other times, it’s deeply personal: the death of someone we love, the end of a season of life, or the quiet grief of things that didn’t turn out the way we imagined.

No matter the form, loss brings us face-to-face with mortality. It makes us pause, reflect, and ask: Am I living in alignment with what truly matters?

Perimenopause: Another Kind of Loss

For women in midlife, perimenopause can feel like a different kind of loss. It’s not the loss of a person, but the loss of predictability, the loss of hormonal steadiness, and sometimes the loss of how we once defined ourselves.

It can feel like saying goodbye to fertility, or to the energy and body we once knew. There’s grief in that—grief that often goes unspoken.

But just as with other kinds of loss, this transition also carries an invitation. Perimenopause is not only an ending—it’s a threshold. It asks: Who do you want to be in this next chapter of your life?

From Loss to Renewal

The lessons of 9/11 remind us that even in the deepest grief, there is resilience. Communities rebuilt. People found new ways to connect, to honor, to move forward.

The same truth applies to perimenopause. Yes, it brings change. Yes, it brings discomfort. But it also brings the chance to rebuild, to rekindle, and to step into a life shaped less by expectations and more by authenticity.

Living Fully, Right Now

Mortality—whether remembered in national tragedies or felt in the quiet shifts of midlife—should not paralyze us. It should awaken us.

• To savor the small joys.

• To nourish our bodies with movement and food that fuels strength.

• To give ourselves grace in the messy moments.

• To step boldly into the unknown, trusting that renewal is possible.

Closing Reflection

Today, as we honor the lives lost on 9/11, let’s also honor our own transitions. Loss and mortality remind us that life is fleeting, but they also remind us that every ending carries the seed of a beginning.

Perimenopause is not the end of vitality or purpose. It is an opportunity to rekindle—to build strength, redefine who you are, and live with deeper intention.

Because while we cannot stop change or loss, we can choose how we rise in the midst of it.

✨ Rekindle with Kim — helping women in midlife find strength, balance, and renewal.