Thankful for new beginnings and second chances

Today, July 12, I'm thankful for new beginnings and second chances.

And of course, sometimes they're the same thing.

I love looking forward, endeavoring to envision what the future could be, and then working to create it. The past doesn't hold much interest for me, but the possibilities of the future fascinate me. And whether a new beginning involves the first steps of the process of creating something from scratch, or letting the light of day finally shine on a project that's been in development for a while, either way I'm going to be excited.

Managing something that is already in place without exploring how it can be changed, reimagined, etc., holds no interest for me and I'm really not very good at it. I'm thankful that much of what I do is about new beginnings and thinking about and then working to create what's next, what could be. My futuristic strength is one of those things that makes me me. For people who are tied to the past, to maintaining traditions, to resisting change, I tend to drive them crazy (the feeling is mutual). As one of my seminary professors said about me, "Jerry's so much of a futurist, that today's too far in the past for him." Guilty as charged.

But every now and then, the new beginning is about re-engaging with something that has been part of my journey before. Every once in a while, I find that a connection or an initiative that had a place of importance in my life in another time re-presents itself. I try to pay attention to these re-presentations, endeavoring to ensure that my futuristic orientation doesn't cause me to miss an opportunity to re-connect with someone or something that may be offering me new opportunities for growth.

I am currently experiencing such a re-connection after a several-years-period of being away from a particular initiative. There was a time that I thought my experience with this initiative was completely wrapped up and that there was no need to consider re-connecting with it. Several months ago when the opportunity to discuss this re-connection presented itself, something told me I should at least be open to the possibility.

It has turned out to be a good decision. And maybe the best thing about giving (and being given) a second chance in this situation is that it feels much more like a new beginning instead of re-booting something from the past. Maybe it's a bit of both, but given my bias for the new, a new beginning gets my vote.

New beginnings, second chances, to see something formed out of virtually nothing, to see something reformed, to see people be transformed. I'm not sure there are many other things in life for which any of us can be more thankful.