Jon Shonebarger

We live in an age that worships the instant. We want quick breakthroughs in our relationships, rapid promotions in our careers and fast results in every project we tackle, from renovating a kitchen to renovating our lives. We are moving at the speed of AI. But the deepest, most meaningful transformations rarely arrive overnight. They unfold slowly, steadily and often quietly, like a seed pushing through the soil long before anyone sees a sprout.

I celebrated my birthday last week! As I celebrated, I took time to reflect upon “another trip around the sun.” I believe that another trip around the sun is never just a date on a calendar, it is a sacred pause, a moment to breathe deeply, look backward with gratitude and look forward with bold expectancy. It’s a reminder that life is not measured only in years lived, but in impact made, lessons learned and the legacy we continue to build.

The winds of change are blowing across our nation. There is restlessness that is impossible to ignore. You can feel it in the conversations happening in breakrooms at work, in the tone of neighborhood gatherings and in the quiet unease of people who sense something shifting beneath their feet. Change rarely knocks politely. No, it sweeps in, rearranging priorities, exposing cracks, and demanding that we decide who we want to be next. Change, at its best, is an opportunity.