The Things We Don't Get Closure On

As accountants, we like things tied up neatly.

A BAS gets finalised. A file gets completed. A tax return gets lodged.

There's a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Life doesn't always work like that.

This week I was reminded that some things arrive without a conclusion.

An email landed on my desk advising that a client was moving to another firm.

It's a normal part of business. Clients come and go. Circumstances change. People make decisions that are right for them.

Yet every time it happens, I find myself wondering.

Was there something we could have done better? Did we miss something? Were they unhappy? Or was it simply time for them to move on?

The reality is, I'll probably never know.

Once that email arrives, our role is straightforward. We prepare the required documents, liaise with the new accountant, and ensure the transition is handled professionally and in a timely manner.

There isn't a conversation. There isn't an explanation. There isn't closure.

It’s just a reminder that sometimes things end before you've finished, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

And when I stopped to think about it, that seemed to be a theme running through my week.

At work, we're already preparing for the next financial year. Looking at what clients need now, what can wait until next year, and what should be planned for in the future.

At home, our Uni student is home for mid-semester break, while she completes the remainder of her university semester online. It feels like she's only just left, yet she's already building a life that increasingly belongs to her.

At sixteen, our teenager's world continues to expand too, with school assessments, football, work shifts and all the new independence that comes with getting older.

As parents, there are so many moments where we realise our role is changing. We’d like it to slow down, but time doesn’t let you so we just have to make the best decisions we can and move on.

Then there was FINKE.

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the Tatt’s Finke Desert Race, Australia’s Ultimate Desert Race.

A huge milestone for an event that was a significant part of my life for many years. (Read last year’s blog here)

Part of me wishes I'd made plans to be there.

Part of me misses the people, the atmosphere, the memories and the history.

But life moves on.

Sometimes we don't attend the event.

Sometimes we miss the moment.

Sometimes all we can do is smile at the memories and order the merchandise online.

The older I get, the more I realise that not everything gets wrapped up neatly with a bow.

Not every decision comes with an explanation.

Not every relationship continues forever.

Not every opportunity comes around twice.

Not every question gets answered.

Sometimes closure isn't something we're given.

Sometimes closure is something we create for ourselves.

It's trusting that you did your best.

Trusting the effort mattered.

Trusting that what was meant for you will stay and what isn't will eventually move on.

And perhaps most importantly, trusting that you don't need all the answers before taking the next step.

Because life keeps moving.

The seasons change and the new financial year rolls around again.

Children grow up and new opportunities appear.

And somewhere between all of that, we learn that moving forward is often enough.

Even when we never get the explanation we were hoping for.