Toward a Bright Future

2022 December Blog by Alex DeLeon ~ I tend to mark the passing of time with the holiday season. December marks the end of a year which can raise an endless array of feelings and emotions. For me, the holiday season is usually filled with joy, grief, celebration, and nostalgia. I like to think about the year past, but also envision what I want the new year to bring. December is not only an end, but a beginning.

I also mark the passing of my time at Centering Space with the holidays. It was a conversation at a holiday gathering that brought me to Centering Space in December of 2019. In that moment, I could never have imagined what an important part of my life this place would become. That’s the funny thing about looking towards the future, it is always unpredictable. No matter how much dreaming and planning you do, there is truly no way to know what the future holds – but it often exceeds expectations.

I began working at Centering Space before our world got turned upside down with the pandemic. Before we knew it, our ministry would have to bend and adapt to our rapidly changing world. No one could have predicted any of this, but we worked to be resilient and hold space for our community. Although our virtual gatherings looked very different than the living room or kitchen table conversations we had become accustomed to, we persevered.

I feel so lucky to be a part of the team that worked to not only keep Centering Space functioning during these difficult years, but allowed us to grow and flourish. We expanded the types of programming offered, we focused our mission and message for the community, we expanded fundraising so we could have stability moving into the future.

As we move into our 20^th year, I can’t help but dream about what this ministry might look like in another 20 years. I hope it is a time marked by growth and a deepening realization of our mission and vision. Like the month of December, this anniversary does not mark the end of a chapter, but a chance to look toward a bright future.