It Is Transition Time Again

May 1 2018

It is that time of year when many graduations are taking place. I am starting to receive invitations from individuals who are graduating from high school and college. I call this the “transition period”. I remember when my daughter was an elementary school principal and she invited me to be the guest speaker at her school’s graduation ceremony. I was honored that she invited me, but I kept asking myself what topic should I speak to these ten and eleven-year-old girls and boys about? What would interest them? I certainly don’t want to talk above their heads and I don’t want to bore them. So, I decided that I would talk to them about transition. After all they were transitioning from elementary school to middle school.

The word transition means to pass from one stage to another. Hence, all who are graduating from one level to the next are in a phase of transition. It is both an exciting time for the graduates and it can also be a time filled with anxiety because it is a step towards the unknown future. I can certainly remember the transition periods in my life and what I found fun and exciting was the day of graduation itself. I was finally growing up. I was getting closer to being on my own.

Most of the spotlight is on the graduate during this period, but he/she is not the only one who is transitioning. We forget the parents are transitioning too. As the children take a step, the parents are stepping with them. And they are filled with excitement to know that their children are moving to the next level. Regretfully, along with the joy they feel comes fear. The world we live in today is much different than five to ten-years ago. Our children can be exposed to a lot of good and bad things during the transition. Even though we try to limit the exposure of bad influences as much as possible, somehow and some way, they still get exposed.

Here’s the good news! All is not lost during the transition period. I know because look at how you and I turned out. We made the right decisions and so will those who are transitioning now. God guided us and protected us, and He will protect them as well because He has dispatched his angels to minister to us all.

As you pray today or tomorrow, remember to include those who are in a period of transition. Ask God to let their journey be safe, filled with excitement and full of His blessings.