I like this Ziggy cartoon. Here he is hiking along, actually doing pretty well. He’s reached the top of the mountain. Just see what a little effort will get you. What does the sign up ahead say. Ziggy hikes a little faster.
The sign says, “Beware of the Thwop.”
What the heck? This is the moment just before his life changes. Remember the day before 911? I do. I was in Turkey enjoying a tour of the ancient archeological sights. I had no idea that my life — that all of our lives — was about to change. Beware. When you least expect it. Thwop happens.
Now imagine poor Ziggy tumbling down the hill. At the bottom he will be disoriented, he may have lost his pack, he has a decision to make as to whether to go to the hospital or not. He will for a while identify himself as a victim. Slowly, he will form a new relationship with those who can help him.
Transition is different from change because transition is characterized by:
Disorientation, Loss, Decisions, New identity, and New Relationships
Where you were before is different from where you are afterword.
Trauma that challenges each of us on three levels:
- As individuals
- As caregivers and leaders serving others at our workplaces, congregations, or where we volunteer.
- As citizens and neighbors seeking to rebuild our post-Thwop world.
