Walking new paths

Have you ever had occasion to meet someone who has recently moved into the area? Better yet, have you ever found yourself being welcomed into a new environment? Was it a good experience where others welcomed warmly, or did you find yourself wondering whether this particular new adventure was perhaps a mistake?

Moving to a new city, meeting new people, being thrust into unknown territory is always a very difficult experience for some. It can be extremely emotional and it's hard work for some to get to know people who we've never seen before. Regardless of whether we move from one city to a neighboring village, or from one province to another, or even from one country to another, there are always things that must be begun anew: accommodations to be arranged, new doctors and other health professionals, new business associates, new social acquaintances ... the list can seem endless.

Unfamiliar surroundings will always put us on guard because at a certain level, we are all social creatures. We all want to feel welcomed. We all want to fit in, but this takes time and lots of effort. The tendency for some is to hide, and despite the words or gestures of strangers, we all have to take our own time to find our way.

On the other hand, if we're on the giving end of the welcoming, we need to be patient. Even though we may be willing to offer a gesture or a word of encouragement, we must be respectful of the newcomer(s) in our midst. What's important is that we keep looking for ways to make the transition as easy as possible. Every little gesture and word is appreciated, at some level, even the silence and patience which is necessary to allow the other to find his-her own way.

All of us have been there at some point in our lives. What have we appreciated most about the gestures and words shared with us during our own transitions? How can we help the newcomers among us to fit in? Who are the ones most in need of a word of encouragement or challenge in order to overcome a particular difficulty?

New beginnings are never easy, but they can be moments of grace, if we're willing to see the possibilities that open before us.