Armenian Weekly. Time is in constant motion. The clock moving forward is the one variable we can count on. There are moments of joy when we wish time would stop so we could dwell in happiness. In contrast, during life’s challenges, we often hear, “This too shall pass.”
Civilization has devised methods to quantify and manage time. We refer to a year as 365 days—or, as it is commonly called, “another trip around the sun.” Our years are divided by seasonal changes. In the Northeast and Midwest, the contrast in weather between seasons is stark, both in temperature and precipitation. In the West and South of the country, seasonal variations are more subtle but still distinguishable.
Most of us utilize the seasons to structure our lives. Phrases like “Next winter, I would like to….” or “This summer, we plan on….” are common planting tools. Vacations are often planned based on seasonal activities, such as beach trips or skiing. I love the contrast of seasons, as it gently signals revitalization in our lifestyles. We are motivated to engage in certain activities as the summer approaches or our outdoor activities commence.
In seasonal climates, spring symbolizes renewal. In fact, spring is a metaphor for the rebirth of nature. In New England, for example, the ground is frozen and layered with snow each winter, replacing the beautiful vegetation that had occupied garden and flower beds. All winter long, we gaze outside at the barren landscape, longing for its rebirth. When I visit Florida, I envy the continuous growth of its warm climate, in contrast to the dormant land in the North, where perennials sleep.
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Nevertheless, it is a wonderful experience to witness the re-emergence of our perennial flowers that transform our gardens into a miracle of God’s creation. I learned my lesson to plant a variety of perennials that will bloom with a variety of colors at various intervals to optimize the precious months of April to September. It gives us instant relief from the winter and re-energizes us to embrace nature. There is no question that nature operates on a clock, aligning the spring with rebirth and winter with rest. There is much to learn from nature, regardless of the climate you reside in, about how to manage our time.
Our communities in the Armenian diaspora operate on a different clock. While nature’s renewal is generally associated with springtime, our communities experience it in autumn. In ancient times, Navasard was the first month of the Armenian calendar, typically lasting from August 11 through September 9. In Armenian mythology, the Navasardian god was associated with agriculture and feeding the hungry. Ironically, in our modern application, some of the renewal associated with the ancient calendar applies to our current alignment. Most of our community life follows a public school calendar, with the vast majority of activities taking place from September to June. School and events wind down in late spring and transition to “summer mode” by the end of June.
Similar to perennial plants, the community does not shut down—it simply transitions into a less active state. Of course, there are picnics and camps, but calendars lighten up during these months. This reduction in activity and the gap of time creates an expectation of renewal every year. The summer months become a time to replenish and recharge our energy, review successes and challenges from the previous year and plan adjustments.
Unfortunately, there are times when the stress and tension of the prior year are so significant that summer becomes merely a time of rest. The dynamics of the diaspora require constant vigilance and self-reflection. Changes “on the fly” during the core of the year can be disruptive. Summer provides an excellent opportunity to consider alternatives and devise implementation tactics.
When involved in community life, it is important to realize that every fall becomes a “second chance” to improve effectiveness. The summer gap has a way of diminishing the negative and framing challenges as learning experiences. The danger is in falling into the trap of the blame game or making it about personalities. Volunteer service requires tolerance and respect. Debates and disagreements are natural, but egos can drive us to judge and hold grudges. It really adds no value and usually diminishes the collective impact. Service thrives on humility and mutual respect.
I have always felt that each September offers a “clean slate,” if we can leave the baggage at the door. It is like opening a front door to let in a gust of soothing fresh air. We have a remarkable portfolio of organizations and institutions that experience renewal each fall. The church is one institution that leads by example, given its historic position as the center of our communal life. Sadly, we have parishes today with no Sunday School or youth group.
Are there no children in the vicinity, or have we failed to focus on the single biggest sustaining activity for a secure future: preparing the next generation? On the eve of our renewal, we must address these dramatic shortcomings that threaten our future.
Every parish and community organization respects its past and present, but I am not certain that we expend enough resources on truly preparing for the future.
Given the rapid change in American society and the Armenian diaspora, how can we be certain that we are preparing for the next generation when the current generation makes most of the decisions?
Perhaps it would be prudent to develop a process that includes the direct participation of our teenage, young adults and young professionals. I am not referring to a “one-and-done” focus group but an authority-sharing, direction-setting process that will eliminate the guesswork and risk. These are the types of issues that our communities should be grappling with during the summer calm, with the anticipation of renewal. After all, if we do not address our shortcomings, how can we expect improvement?
As we anticipate the autumn of rebirth, where should we explore to capture the opportunities? The most urgent area of need is with the emerging generation. We must avoid assuming that older leaders can fully represent the interests of younger members. Inclusive solutions—across age and gender—are essential. We have choices. We can sit back and let the natural progression of generational transition take place—and some of our youth will surely emerge in positions of responsibility.
The problem with that more passive approach is that the “yield” of the succeeding generation emerging may not meet the critical mass for the institution or organization to sustain its mission. This can be described as communal decline. An alternative is to keep the future foremost in our thinking by overtly educating, mentoring and transferring authority to our youth. How many of us could have developed into responsible community members if not for the opportunity to learn from our mistakes?
Growth comes from “protected adversity,” where emerging leaders learn from mistakes within a loving and caring environment. In every community, there are capable individuals who are ready to contribute; support from experienced activists can help them thrive. The most important contribution we can make is to sustain our efforts with continuity.
Most communities will open their church schools on September 7 or perhaps the following week. Why not review the previous year and make at least one correction to a weakness? For parishes without schools, take the bold step to find a few students and re-capture the magic with a modest start. There is nothing like the presence of children in church to reinvigorate adult members. Community organizations should recruit young members with a willingness to connect with their needs and executive teams should be positioned with our young adults.
Youth-led planning fosters life skills. I will always be indebted to the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) for the interpersonal, project and planning skills acquired while planning seminars, demonstrations, dances and athletics. As teenagers, we made our mistakes in an environment of support and applied the learning forward. We did not realize it at the time, but it was a management training program for community participation.
In a world overloaded with shallow distractions for our children, we must be there to help in enabling this succession. It may require some senior members of the community to step aside and make room at the table for others.
Frankly, too often, we see individuals who have made brilliant contributions for many years stay too long and inadvertently stagnate the mission they love. I would think that witnessing capable young members succeeding is a far more desirable outcome. The time of renewal brings opportunities. The question is: will we seize the autumn?
