I’m dating myself with this reference, but remember the character in The A-Team who used to say, “I love it when a plan comes together”? That’s how I feel about this particular issue. More than a year ago, when we developed the editorial calendar for 2020, we could not have imagined how extremely relevant and necessary our two editorial themes this month would be. No one could have foreseen the contextual backdrop of world and local events making our “education out of the box” and “prospering through transition” themes so topical. We pride ourselves on offering great, actionable information each month; I feel like this month we raised our own bar. I hope you will agree once you’ve had a chance to read our insightful and thoughtful offerings. 

We are in the midst of a social sea change unlike what most of us have witnessed or experienced in our lifetimes. The challenges, opportunities and growth experiences are exponential, and no one story is exactly the same. The details may differ greatly, but what remains constant is that every individual is tasked with doing the best they can in each moment, and stringing those moments together to make a life well-lived. There are many paths up and around that particular mountain; if you take anything away from this issue, I hope it is understanding that while your neighbor’s path may not be yours, it is no less valuable and important than your own. 

One of my favorite talks to give is called “Mining for Gold in Times of Stress and Chaos”. The point of that talk, and of many of the articles in this issue, is that inside each of us are the tools and wisdom we need to not only survive the hurricane, but to thrive beyond it. I know this to be true. The answers do not lie outside of us, in the expert advice of well-meaning others, but rather in the quiet inner knowing that whispers to us when we care enough to ask. Always accessible, trustworthy and consistent, our individual inner guidance system holds the key to emerging triumphant from these troubled times.

I hope you enjoy this month’s offerings and bask in the light of possibility. To quote a lyric from Les Misérables, “Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.” And so it shall. Who will you be when that day dawns? It’s entirely up to you and I look forward to meeting you again. 

With love and light,

Nicole