By Dr. Carolyn Burhans
In Dr. Spencer Johnson’s book, Who Moved My Cheese?, he presented a parable of four mice (Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw) whose food source kept being moved inside a maze. As you might conclude by their names, the mice react-ed in different ways to the relocation of the cheese. The conclusion was that change is inevitable and how we ap-proach change determines our fulfill-ment and even our success. Does this sound familiar?
We all know that preparing for the 2020-21 school year has been any-thing but normal. With opinions and emotions en-tangling the myriad decisions that need-ed to be made during a pandemic, it is no wonder that professional training, sound research, and practical application be-came a sidebar to solution finding.
Times such as what we are now experiencing may find us wishing it would all just go away! Or that “they” would stop moving our cheese! The ruminations over how to reopen school took place for months and resulted in no single best way to protect students and school staff from COVID-19 while go-ing about the business of schooling.
So here we are: Journeying through the maze and making decisions on the fly. Students are in front of us, either online or in person. Maybe you are just pushing through day by day (Scurry); perhaps you are holding back waiting to see what happens (Sniff); or you cannot make up your mind about what to do next (Hem and Haw).
Is it possible that you have found a way to navigate this maze of adversity and opportunity? Have you had any “what if” thoughts such as, “What if I embrace this change and see if it leads to something better than what I had before?” Have you set aside the fear of failure and considered what you would do if you weren’t afraid to fail? Have you found peace amid these circumstanc-es by relying on the One who is greater than you?
Finding hope and encouragement during times of change and adjustment is at your fingertips—in your Bible—the one that is either on your bookshelf or your electronic device. In Psalm 91:14-16 the Lord promises to rescue, protect, be present, deliver, and honor those who love Him. The words of Jeremiah 29:11 reveal the Lord’s plan to prosper not harm, give you hope and a future. Paul assures you in Philippians 4:19 that God will meet all your needs. These are but a few of the scriptures where reliance on God brings peace of mind, the knowledge that we have the best advocate in Jesus and the faithfulness of God’s promis-es.Yes, there is a new normal. Adapting to the new normal may not be easy, but remembering God’s promises daily will certainly open our eyes to the possibilities that lie ahead.