transition
noun – movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to
another;
(Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/transition)transition (n.)
mid-15c., from Latin transitionem (nominative transitio) “a going across or over,” noun of action from past participle stem of transire “go or cross over”
(Source: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=transition)
As I transition from the Monday blog series on Game Studies, the very concept of transition is forefront of my mind at the moment. A personal look into my current thought process reveals a lot about me. Recently, I have been transitioning into a more serious caregiver role for my wife, including special training to support her. This weekend we are transitioning from Thanksgiving weekend into the Christmas season, which can be both celebratory and stressful. Tomorrow we transition into December, which makes me reflective of the past year. This Friday I transition into the second year of my blog (more on that next post). Next year I am transitioning into a role as an adjunct professor of a newly created course in Game Studies. At my day job with Taylor University, we are transitioning to a new university President who will have his own visions for our future. And as a freelancer, a big transition is happening for me. The Achtung! Cthulhu Kickstarter campaign is coming to a close as we finish final edits on the last remaining book “Secrets of the Dust”.
Life is full of change, but my career as a freelancer is still pretty young. The Achtung! Cthulhu Kickstarter was my big break into the game industry. I had done some proofreading and editing on a couple of individual books while working for Chronicle City, but the Achtung! Cthulhu Kickstarter was my first official project as a professional freelancer. With that Kickstarter now coming to a close, that chapter of my freelancing career is coming to an end as well. Yes, there are other projects and campaigns ahead of me, but this one has a lot of memories, a lot of growth as a freelancer, and was stable work for the past two years. I now have to focus on future projects and continuing to build relationships with additional publishers. I really like the words of JFK when he states,
“For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past, or the present, are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy
(Source: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-045-023.aspx)
Change happens, and we have to respond to it correctly. I really like in the origins of transition how it derives its meaning from “a going across or over.” Where Change can sound hard, Transition is not a hard ending and beginning but a “going over” to other places or things. I don’t know about you, but I find change to be scary at times, especially when it feels abrupt. Thinking of these as transitions rather than change feels like a natural progression or “going across” from one one moment to another. Life keeps moving around us as does our freelancing careers. Like JFK says, we can’t stay in the past and present, but we must look to the future. I look to my family, my friends and my faith to support me in times of transition.
What transitions do you already see on your horizon? How do you respond to change in your personal and freelancing lives? What quotes inspire you to keep looking forward?