Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes, Revised 25th Anniversary Edition
By William Bridges
Rating: 9
May 19, 2009
I had never heard of this book, but the leader of our Spiritual Formation Retreat referenced it and had it out on the table for anyone to read. So I picked it up. (I’m in deep transitions right now.) And it was an extremely helpful book!
He makes a distinction between change and transition. Change is what happens to you from the outside, like a death of a spouse or a loss of a job. It’s external. But transition is what happens internally in response to change. And transitions are far trickier to work out and come out ready for the next stage of life.
Bridges provides a helpful paradigm for any transition: a transition begins with an end. Then you go through a neutral zone, where you’re working out many things until you reach the new beginnings. The Christian gospel fits into this very well: before Sunday can come, Friday must happen. Any resurrection must have death before it. But sometimes, before Sunday comes and Friday has already passed, you wait. (Someone needs to revive Holy Saturday traditions during Easter Week).
The author borrows from many spiritual traditions, so those of who must learn from their own theological camps should stay away. But I found the framework really helpful to give language to the major transitions I’m in now, and I highly recommend this book to anyone going through transitions of their own.
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