I have been thinking about a specific word quite often lately. The word is transition which means: the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.
I feel like the last year has been nothing but transition for myself, Open Hands Midway and the world we live in. I made the transition from having a Mom here on earth in November of 2019 to having a Mom who is now home with her Lord and Savior. I still find myself dealing with that transition and my grief each day as she was one special Mom. In March of 2020 we all made the transition from our everyday ‘normal’ life to living with COVID-19 in the world. In April Open Hands Midway closed for one month as we decided what the next transition for our meal and food program would look like. In the beginning of May we re-opened and made the transition from serving community meals where people gathered in our dining space, to serving community meals in takeout containers out the front door. Transition was made all over our city, state and country in the aftermath of George Floyd’s unfortunate death. In July Governor Walz issued the mask mandate and we began our transition to include masks as a part of our daily attire. In August our Board of Directors voted to make the transition from a program that was giving away clothing and household goods to a program that would focus completely on meal and food programs. Now as the year is coming to a close in just a couple of months, Open Hands is in the midst of transition from a small food shelf to a large food shelf which we hope to have up and running by the end of the year or the first part of 2021.
I do not know about you but sometimes I really do not like transition. I also realize that with transition can come amazing new opportunities. In the many transition situations I described above I have built stronger relationships, appreciated front line workers, mourned for those who have lost their lives so tragically, found some great Minnesota Wild and Green Bay Packersmasks to wear, and become excited about what Open Hands Midway has the opportunity to do in our community. Transition can be hard, it can have challenges and it can be a learning experience. I have learned that though transition is not always done smoothly I do not have to go through it alone. In my personal life and loss I have a great Dad who is still alive. In our world I have found opportunities to see things from a perspective not my own. In the world I have found beauty in nature when I take long bike rides and walks. At Open Hands Midway I have a wonderful Board of Directors who are there to talk with, discern with and support me and the organization in the many transition areas we find ourselves encountering. If we ever decide we cannot make transition in our lives then we may as well be ready for our minds, bodies and spirits to become stagnant. It is my hope that you will give transition some thought, not just for yourself but for the world around you. Blessings to each of you amidst the everyday transition situations you encounter that you may transition into them well.