Note to self. In life not every step is a step forward. At times we need to retreat or step to the side. Life reminds me that organizations are very human. They retreat when they are afraid. They stumble when they go to fast. It is difficult to learn.
As we repeat another cycle, maybe it is an age related observation to note that I have been here before. My view is, for the most part, unchanged from the last time. Controlling the negative is much easier when you are also reaching for the positive. When a community knows that everyone is in it together, ideas thrive.
Events, locally and globally, remind me of a recurring cycle that is always painful. Difficult decisions must be taken. Remembering the individuals that will be impacted is rarely easy. It is easy to forget that there are those that are winning when so many are losing.
I find myself more reflective coming into this period of time. My heart cries for those that are hurting and will be hurt. There is little that I can do about the broader changes underway. I can push forward in my corner, reaching for something better. The difference now is that I am resolute in taking the steps that I can take. In my younger days, I rallied to change the current. I look back in wonder. I had forgotten that the wise writer’s observation centuries ago still applied to our lives today. “When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.” (1 Corinthians 13.11)
As adults, we know we have the freedom to make a difference. I realize that if I am willing to learn, each cycle gets a bit easier. I also know that as I act on my aspiration to make things better for others that I in turn benefit. I would do well to hold these mantras close to my heart today in the uncertainties of what will come my way.
