Transitions

Photo by: Robert Lukeman

I was given an assignment by my editor.  This assignment required me to answer the question of “What exactly is transition, the reinvention process?”  I was told to do this in my next blog post.    So, let’s get started on my response…

For those of you who may not know, this book that I am writing is centered around the transition process.  However, in thinking about all of this, I have just “discovered” one thing.  The most ironic part is that once this book is published, the transition process starts all over again.  And so, as I think about the irony, I am soon reminded that the transition process is never ending.  As soon as I get acclimated to one season of my life, it is time to get ready for another. 

Now, you may be thinking that if I am writing a book about transitions, I would have learned that lesson already.  

Yes, you are correct. I have learned that lesson.  

But, in my world I learn the same lessons over and over again.

Transitions are great teachers. They often remind us of what we already know.

I am also reminded that the process of transition is more than just a one-time occurrence, for major life events.  The process of transition occurs moment by moment, as we decide to take the necessary steps forward.  We are shedding our skin while also simultaneously stepping into our new skin…hence the discomfort.

Transitions are uncomfortable places, but necessary for growth.

The tricky part to all of this, however, is accepting the fact that transition can be so heavy at times.  Your transition period can last a few weeks. Or, a few years.  I have felt the weight of both time frames.  And to be honest, the longer the transition period, the heavier the weight becomes.  These are the types of transition that have taken me to my knees, as I felt that I could not bear the weight of it all. These types of transition have also left me wondering about the sanity in all of it. 

Transitions are often weighted by time.

These transitions have left me feeling a bit robbed by the fact that I had to relinquish areas of my life that I valued. However, these transitions also left me feeling freer in other areas, as the burden was lifted from my shoulders. There is a “ying and yang” to transition, I suppose.  I don’t think that there is an exact description of the process, however.

Transitions are a true anomaly.

I struggle as I sit here and wonder if the next transition phase will leave me with any semblance of yesterday. Sometimes in the transition, you can momentarily hold onto parts of the old way, the old life, and the old you.  However, I think that when we try to grab hold of the old, we are only going through the motions. We know deep down that what we are attempting to catch is already fading…far away from our grasp.

True transitions require letting go of yesterday.

And as I sit here taking all of this in, I recognize that part of me wants to move forward so badly.  I often hunger for change and the opportunity to step into all that I have been praying for. But still, I must acknowledge all that comes with my appetite for change. 

For everything that we desire to own, we must take responsibility for.

And so, I must own up to the fact of my responsibilities at this moment. 

I must own up to my responsibility to be humble in the transition process.

I must own up the task at hand, however daunting it may be. 

I must realize that this is yet another necessary transition…

a reinvention process into the world of authorship.