Seeing Change as a New Chapter

We all say we’re “starting a new chapter.” But what does that really mean—and how do we know when one has begun?

People love to say they’re starting “a new chapter.” You hear it after divorces, retirements, even funerals (“She’s starting a new chapter in heaven”). But lately I’ve been wondering what makes that phrase feel so right. We could say we’re entering “a new phase” or “segment” or “stage.” But a chapter is different. A chapter has shape. It carries the implication that we’ve learned something from the last one, enough to justify a page turn.

A segment sounds like an orange wedge. A phase sounds hormonal . But a chapter suggests development. There’s structure, momentum, and, crucially, hope. It assumes the story is still unfolding, and maybe, if we’re lucky, that the author has