Peaceful transitions

This #thankyouthursday, I am grateful for peaceful transitions—and no, I am not talking about the one I trust will take place in the White House.

I’m talking about a job that I had yesterday but don’t today. After nearly five years with the organization, my part-time position transformed into a full-time opportunity I wasn’t eligible for. So while my departure wasn’t voluntary, it was understandable.

And while my manager didn’t force me to stick around for an extra two weeks and train my replacement, I agreed to do so. It would have been easier to just leave, but I care about the organization and the people in it, and I wanted to do what was best for everyone.

So I stayed (and also got paid), and the transition was positive and peaceful, and I am grateful.

—

I was going to end this message on that tidy, cozy note, but the above narrative, while true, doesn’t reflect the complexity of what it feels like to walk away from something that has formed a large part of your identity for the last four years.

And yes, this is the part where I talk about the president of the United States. Not the president-elect, but the person who is currently struggling (refusing?) to accept reality, and is thus failing to set a good example of quality leadership for his company—er, country.

It doesn’t always feel good to face reality. I do empathize; I’ve been processing my own loss of employment, and it hurts. Yet while I have been allowing myself to feel all the feelings, I have also showed up for the people who are counting on me to, y’know...not live in denial and hold up the progress of my successor.

And now?

I don’t have that job anymore, but I did leave it with dignity, peace, and genuine appreciation. And while I am still having feelings, not all of them are bad. In fact, when I let myself get still and breathe, underneath my fear and disappointment is actually...excitement? Hope? Definitely faith.

So this #thankyouthursday, I am grateful for peaceful transitions, and I pray that we are all able to experience them.

Love > fear,
Christina

p.s. In case you missed Dave Chappelle’s monologue on Saturday night, I recommend you watch; his approach can be crass, but underneath his jokes are some real truths about the pain our country is experiencing and how we might heal it. (Or if watching is not your thing, you can read an accurate—if slightly sanitized—write-up.)