“Thanksgiving: Transition and change…”
By: Vince DiPasquale
October is the month of transition and change. It’s a time to let go and let God. It’s a time that teaches us one of the great lessons of life – let go of what was, face your history, accept it, and learn great lessons from it. It’s a time to embrace our history and let it become our teacher.
As I begin to write this, I’m sitting in Wildwood, NJ, a place that is making a large effort to revisit it’s past. Even as we tour the memories of a time gone by, I’m learning once again the gift of acceptance. As I walked along the Doo-Wop Museum I saw the first TV set we had in 1948. At that time, we had one channel and today there are over 500 channels. As I stand in front of that TV it brings back memories that teach me the gift of gratitude. We have so much to be grateful for. Hopefully, we can learn not to take anything for granted. We have to be careful though – because in many ways, we are spoiled today. As we take time to experience the periods of transition or change in our lives, remember an old message from our history books, “A country unwilling to embrace its history is a country setting itself up for disaster.” Today we should take that quote and apply it to our lives. “A person unwilling to embrace their history is a person setting themselves up for disaster.” Years ago, the founders of AA understood this when they developed the 12-step program. In the fourth step they discuss doing a fearless moral inventory of our lives.
We all need to look at our spiritual journey and realize that nothing happens by accident. Please don’t live in denial or try to block out the past. Whatever happened in your personal journey must be acknowledged, faced, accepted, and only then can we move on. Transition and change are part of our lives. We can’t stand still. Each one of us is a work in progress. Don’t be afraid of change or new ideas. There is so much to learn and experience in one lifetime. Each day is an opportunity to grow a little bit more. Mother Nature is a great teacher. Fall is a time of the year that signals change. Listen to her and try to be open to the changes of life. The secret to healthy transition is to always have an open mind. The key to healthy change is openness of spirit.
The secret to being healthy is:
- To have a sense of inner peace or serenity. To achieve this, we must have the gift of acceptance. We can only grow if we can accept the reality of who we are.
- To have the spirit of openness. An open mind is a gift and it means you are never done. Life is an adventure of growth and learning. Be open to the beautiful process of life.
- To believe you are being guided by a higher power. God sends teachers and messengers into our lives. Listen to them. Every person you meet is a messenger, even the negative ones.
- To live the attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for the little things in life. Real growth is a series of little happenings. We have so much to be thankful for.
- To have a spirit of sharing. Know that when you share your gifts with others, they will come back a hundredfold. You will always receive gifts – if you are a giving person.
- To have the gift of faith. Remember whatever you do in life believe in it and it will happen. Don’t be afraid to dream. In the movie, Field of Dreams, we all remember the words, “Build it and they will come.” Everything in life that is worthwhile must be worked for. Don’t be afraid to struggle. Hard work is a gift. Enjoy what you work for.
This leads us back to our greatest gift – our history. Your life story is the greatest story on earth. Your history is special. All of our struggles have helped transition us into who we are. Believe in yourself and believe in life. Each moment is precious so don’t waste them. Be proud of who you are and who you will become. Yogi Berra always says, “it ain’t over until it’s over.” Life is so precious and each day is an adventure. Let’s all learn to let go and let God. I’m learning that if I stop trying to control life I’ll be able to live it. As we say farewell to summer and fall into winter, watch the leaves change colors and be life them. Never be afraid of change because it’s such a gift. Enjoy this special time of the year that will lead us to Thanksgiving, which should be our life theme.
Grateful for what was, grateful for what is, and grateful for whatever will come. Enjoy life and its wonderful periods of transition leading you to growth.
Blessings, Vince D
