The Light and Shadow
The Light and Shadow
Almost exactly one year ago, our family was out exploring a local park in Ohio and I noticed a narrow shaft of light coming down a long paved walk. One either side of the beam of light, were shadows, cast from trees---some high above and others much lower. I moved a bit closer to take a look and saw directly in the center of it was a small caterpillar making its way through the patches of light and shadow.
I was struck by what was going on. Here was a tiny creature on a journey, walking an expanse of hundreds of feet of pavement through some pretty incredible dangers. Being so small, it seemed not to recognize the larger scene around it, the towering trees overhead, the bikes, dogs, kids bounding around it and all the "near misses" that would have squashed this little guy, were seemingly all out of view. However, it just kept moving forward, walking through the patches of light and shadow.
Since last August, I often put myself in that caterpillar's (many) shoes (metaphorically speaking). Our family has made so many far reaching transitions, it feels like our path has also been one of crossing fields of both light and shadow. While we were focused on our immediate path, we never really took the time to realize how much ground we were covering. However, looking back, that realization hits us, the success, failures, executed plans and changes all come into view.
It’s also times like this we see just how small we are, and just how big the rest of the world is.
Just like that caterpillar, we keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking on both the light and the shadows.
Jess and I have loved and appreciated all the positive support from the many friends and advocates during the transition in our lives. Your advice, encouragement and perspective has been invaluable. There is no way we could ever repay the time and efforts of so many.
We thought it would be good to give a brief snapshot of where we are and to appreciate the blessings of the last several months.
I spent a lot of time at the beginning of this year working as a freelance content creator and video producer. I absolutely loved interacting with the diverse professionals in our field. Even though I had done freelance work for years, I learned more about the craft during this period than virtually any other time. The many projects continue to push the limits of my competence (which is the best place to be in the creative fields!). While Covid-19 definitely made the video production industry more complicated, there are still many organizations who need good storytellers more than ever. The work is there when you look for it.
However, during that time, I felt a pull back to the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry and an interest in getting back into the world of architecture.
In early June, I accepted a new position with a fantastic group of people at ThenDesign Architecture. These architects, planners and construction professionals are doing incredible things in educational design in northeast Ohio. By designing progressive school environments, they are transforming the way kids learn during their formative years. Focusing on student collaboration, new learning spaces and professional development for districts and educators, they are making a big impact and I am honored to be a part of the team.
In order to be closer to the group, we relocated to Willoughby/Eastlake, a community which is situated on Lake Erie. Since both of us grew up on Lake Ontario, (even though we started on opposite sides of the lake) it feels like home being close to the water again. While we were sad to leave Wadsworth, we are excited to start in a new neighborhood, getting to know the locals and supporting the community here.
As a family, we have learned so many lessons and it would be impossible to bring them all out but there are a few that have helped us tremendously along the way. For anyone going through a great life transition, (1) face the challenges realistically and patiently, (2) speak as honestly as possible and (3) work incredibly hard towards the solution. With a little luck, you will be farther along and stronger in no time. (4) Education is the all important linchpin and really the only way to navigate difficult times. The more you can learn about yourself, your circumstances and your history, the better future decisions you make. (5) Find as many impartial counselors as possible. I have noted that the perspectives which were most different from mine are the most valuable. They show you all your blind spots, the chinks in the armor and fill in your gaps in understanding. Lastly, (6) your future is in your hands, never in someone else's. Even though I think we all know this intrinsically, it is both terrifying and thrilling to fully realize that responsibility. We are the ones writing our story, so why not make it a positive one?
Life’s journey presents so many challenges and there are certainly more of those ahead. Challenges are made even more difficult, when you are only ⅛ of an inch off the ground (again metaphorically speaking). You may never see the shadows coming and even when you do, they are low and exaggerated. Even though it looks like they extend forever into the distance, in reality they may be quite short and the light is just ahead.
From our limited vantage point, we can still perceive the distance we travel and sometimes it’s a good thing to recognize just how far we have come.
There are bright and dark spots on every path but just like that the caterpillar, what matters is staying on the road and pressing forward, continuing to navigate both the light and the shadow.
