So, we moved the cat this week. Actually, my wife moved the cat to our new home. I don’t know if my nerves could have taken riding for five hours with our beloved cat. (I’ve done worse, though…see previous blog “Land that I Love”).

This post is not actually about moving the cat. It’s about transitions. However, I figured you would be more likely to begin reading a post about moving a cat than about transitions. Please keep reading, though.

This past year has been one filled with transitions for my family.

My older daughter married and moved to Florida. I moved her pets (ahhhhhh). We have gained a wonderful son-in-law.

I retired from a teaching job where I had been on staff for some 23.25 years (25 years including built up leave time)…not that I was counting.

We started building our retirement home in June of this past year.

I resigned as pastor of our church at the end of July.

And just this week, we closed on our new home, completing nine months of construction. I was fascinated by the process. I watched everything from the excavation to the finishing touches on the front porch railings.

It has been a year of transitions.

We moved the cat. Tiger is his name. Tiger is the reason I am now considered a “cat lover.” Tiger is a great pet. However, Tiger does not like transitions. It is taking him a while to get used to his new surroundings. He went on a hunger strike the first 24 hours. He wants to stay by our sides every minute of every day. He does not care for the outside cat which was already in place (a stray we took in during construction).

Of course, it’s really hard for me to blame Tiger for not liking transitions. I mean, do you like them? No. I am not sure anyone would admit to liking transitions. Yet, if we live long enough, we will see our fair share of them.

So what helps make transitions somewhat bearable? In a word: people. I have met so many gifted people who helped with the construction of our home:

Wayne Dutton — contractor (and new lifelong friend)

Jason Jones — carpenter

Jason Smitherman — cabinetmaker

Roy Whitner — landscaper

Kendall Littleton — landscaper

David Cleckler — brickmason

Quinton Rogers — concrete specialist

Ryan Edwards — roofer

Mark Jones — iron worker

Charles Griffin — plumber and electrician

Junior Wright — painter

These are just some of the individual subcontractors. These men and their crews put everything they had into making sure our home was well-built. This list does not include the corporate partners from whom we purchased goods and services.

In addition to the people who helped with the construction, we have also been able to turn to family and friends during this transitional year. People are so very important.

So, Tiger is feeling better. He has people to help him.

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I’m feeling better. I’ve had people to help me.

Which leads me to ponder: Are there people in my circle of influence who are experiencing transition? How can I help?

We experience all types of transitions. Take politics, for example.

I am still trying to bear the transition into a Trump presidency…two years into it. Congress is experiencing a transition as Democrats take over the House. It is almost as if “we the people” are in constant political transition.

What can make our transition more bearable? People. One of my best friends falls on the other side of the aisle than I do in a political sense. Yet, he and I can discuss politics without getting angry with each other. How? Well, we see the person before we see the political stance. That makes all the difference.

We experience health transitions. As I age I find there’s another pain or twitch here or there that was not there yesterday. Yet, I have friends who are experiencing pain beyond what is normal. Are there friends and family in your circle experiencing difficult health transitions?

Regardless of the type of transition, it seems the answer to making it bearable comes back to people. My wife and I have been fortunate to have great people along side us during this year of transitions. I hope the same is true for you as you experience transitions.

And don’t forget, it may be that God has allowed you to be in a special place where you can be there for someone else as well.

Moving the cat is stressful. People make it bearable.