Bask In The Shadow.

I’m sure most of us have heard the quote, ‘It’s darkest before dawn’. I’ve used that line severally though it sounds more theoretical than real. Dark times in life tend to consume us and they seem so permanent. But does good come out of darkness? On my flight back home from Entebbe two weeks ago, the land that was covered by the shadows of huge clouds appeared dark. This was in contrast to the sunny afternoon that we were flying in. I would see a patch of darkness on the ground some 30000ft below and soon after that cloud moved the sun would kiss the earth with such brightness that I could clearly see the contours of the land from that far up. This must be what they call the bird’s eye view. I like it and hope I can cultivate that as my default view on life.

About two years ago I wrote to the Halftime Institute in the US trying to see how I’d get more help from them for my halftime transition. This was after I read the book, Halftime by Bob Buford. That book has been like an oasis in the desert of my transition. I remember writing about it in my first few articles on this blog last year. I still refer to it like a map every now and then. I even bought Buford’s next book, Stuck in Halftime which has continued to help me navigate through the fog that is 40.

Mummy Shark even suggested we bring them here to do a workshop for folks going through halftime. It would have cost an arm and three legs so we shelved the idea fast. I continued the conversation on and off with one of the pastors in my church. Then, about five months ago he told me that the Halftime Institute in South Africa had written to him. The lead coach of Halftime SA, Mathilda was coming to Kenya for a holiday with her family and was interested in doing a workshop for us.

Pastor Alex called me and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Yaani these guys are here at my doorstep without my involvement at all. No wonder I say my life is a series of God accidents. Mathilda arrived in June after a few weeks of planning and we managed to have a room of about seventy guys growing through transitions of one kind or another. I was the moderator for the program of the day and I soaked everything she taught us like raindrops disappearing on scorched soil.

The only thing that scared me was when she said it took her seven and a half years to get into her second half calling. I thought, Guy, you’re in year four. Another 4 years of this transition I’ll have a become a statistic. I feared I might be those signboards that say welcome to Nyeri when I’m going shags, yet the sign board has never been to Nyeri itself.  I took a deep breath and quickly reminded myself that faith is a big part of this crossroads I am in and it shall be well.

After a successful full day workshop, Mathilda told us that she had received requests to sell the halftime franchise to some top consulting and training firms in Nairobi but it didn’t feel right so she stalled. When she interacted with International Christian Centre (my kanisa), she felt this would be a good fit. As a result, she committed to consult Halftime Institute Global requesting to have another branch in Africa since they are currently only in South Africa. They agreed to having a branch and Nairobi was picked as the location for Halftime East Africa.

This week Mathilda is in town to train me and a few other halftimers to be halftime coaches so that we can kick-start the institute in this region and help many folks who are going through transitions. Folks, we need all the help we can get because at the crossing is where faith and hope rise or dip sharply (the crossing article).  This could easily be an occupation of mine because when I look back, it’s as if I was being prepared for this moment over that last four years. To my surprise, all the confusion I’ve been ranting about since I turned 40 is a requirement for qualification to be a halftime coach. It seems the real movie of our lives happens backstage.

Many things that have happened in the shadow have been preparation for this certification. I recall seeing the pre-course work that Mathilda sent in advance and one of the requirements to be a facilitator was a short description or recording of your halftime story. I just smiled because little did I know my Engage talk a year ago would fit that requirement perfectly.

Folks, do not give up when your lives just seem to be in a state of one big shadow that doesn’t seem to end. A lot of good preparation could be happening. When the rays of light finally dissolve the shadow, you might be surprised at how much growth has taken place to make you ready to seize the opportunity at hand. So try bask in the shadow (oxymoron) as it will surely pass.