If I Could Blink

Transitions aren’t my forte. In fact, when I first moved to Spokane from Casper, the idea that driving to the other edge of town took longer than 10 minutes floored me. I was late to so many meetings. Downtown was a foreign country as far as I was concerned. I figured an encyclopedia on tape wouldn’t be long enough for the ride. Since those first days “off the ranch” I’ve learned to deal with commuting, transitions and all the stop and go that is implied to driving.

Today, I read a report from Rwanda published in Sept. 2010 that stops all adoptions until the country has been accepted under the rules of the Hague Convention. This is a worthy goal and I’m yet again impressed by this African country which stole my heart when I visited in 2009. And yet, this process that safeguards both adoptees and adopters can take a year or more to implement! That means that all children not already in the “pipeline” for adoption will just have to wait. Of course, people can always try to adopt in non-Convention countries or independently, but that’s even more of a logistical nightmare, not to mention an uncertainty in finalizing the adoption both in the Rwanda and America.

So here I am thinking about transitions again. Kids who desperately need homes can’t drive any faster, nor can their country in its efforts of due diligence. At first I thought this was a waste of time for the kids because they shouldn’t have to wait this long. What will change in that time? But perhaps the orphanages will improve their efforts and programs to fall into compliance with the Convention which would make life for those waiting all the better. This time might be used to promote the country, focus on in-country adoptions, and/or raise awareness.

Still I want Rwanda to be there, now. I don’t want to stop for the light. I want them to have a free pass to “GO” and move forward in making adoptions possible again. If I could blink, I would see this time flash by, this transition as a mere breath in time. But I can’t nor can I make any other transition move that quickly. So instead, I’m thinking outside the box. How can this or any transition bring life and be good in and of itself while we wait? Sometimes I listen to the news, journal about the process, plug in my iPod. These days I’m just praying. A silent drive. A silent transition. An opportunity for earth-shattering growth.