Transitions, Transitions!!!
As an educator, this time of the year is always a reflective one for me. The seasons have changed, children age out of their respective classrooms, some relocate, and others transition to new schools. For those children whom I have had the privilege of working directly with over the years and have formed a special bond, their transition is nothing short of a heartbreak for me. Sometimes I wonder why I become attached to these children knowing very well that they would be moving on soon.
Wouldn’t it be easier if you didn’t care that much”? I ask myself. My answer to this recurring thought is “yes, that approach might be easier, but it wouldn’t be fulfilling”. I choose to open up my heart to these students especially because I know I won’t have them forever. As for the heartbreak, I try not to swim too long in the pool of sadness; there is always someone or something else to love overtime. One cannot be controlled by transitions. Of a truth, we must anticipate and leverage.
Sometimes transitions are easy and expected, other times, they are unexpected and brutal. The unexpected ones possess a high tendency of positioning us into the uncomfortable space called disequilibrium. For instance, we anticipate the moments when we become parents and are somewhat prepared for it. We however don’t anticipate a phone call informing us that the loved one we spoke with 2 hours ago has moved on to glory. What do you do when such a person is thousands of miles away and the last time you saw them was 5 years ago? How do you transition from that? How do you make lemonades out of lemons when in reality you can’t even accept the lemon in your hand?
Truly, life is not like a candy store, or an ice cream shop filled with delicious goodies. On the contrary, it’s like a supermarket with many aisles. Some aisles are sweet and sour, some are spicy, and others, ….. well let’s just say they are questionable. Some days we have control over the aisles we want to shop from, and other days, we do not. I have found that those who know the difference between when they are in control and not in control are the ones who learn to pivot and leverage very quickly. As we’ve probably heard a million times over, the only thing constant in this life is change.
Each day we live, we grow older; one cannot expect to grow younger. We can look younger, but we can’t keep the days and years from rolling on. Life itself is a trade; time for purpose, purpose for time. Trade wisely, pick your battles well, know when to fight, know when to walk away.
P.S. This is my first post in a long while and I apologize for my sudden absence. I myself was in transition but I’m glad to be back. Thank you for reading. Please feel free to share this message with others.
