Representative Don Humason



TRANSITIONS By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. September 13, 2008 My old college professor at Westfield State College once told me “Life is about transitions.” I must confess: at the time I didn’t know what the heck he was talking about. This week I found myself remembering his comment and thinking a great deal about the transitions of life. As summer ends we transition into fall. School teachers and students transition back to class after summer vacations. College kids transition back to school after their break. With fall comes the start of the foliage and we in Massachusetts transition to one of the nicest seasons of the year. The bright, su nny days and cool, crisp nights are a pleasant transition from the hazy, hot, and humid days of summer. Our country is in the midst of a long presidential election campaign cycle that is finally winding down after two long years. Soon, America will make the peaceful transition of power via our election November 4 that separates us from many countries around the world. The new administration, be it McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden, will have to transition into the kind of leadership this country is asking for and expecting. Transition is never easy, especially after a previous administration has occupied the Oval Office for so long. Preside nt George W. Bush had the same issues with transition after 8 years of President Bill Clinton’s administration. In Westfield Mayor Boulanger had to make a transition from military life to political life after his election. His administration made the transition after many years of Mayor Rick Sullivan’s leadership. Rick, himself, had to make the transition from city mayor to state commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Westfield Fire Department is transitioning from one leader to another as Chief Tom Kane retires and Chief Bill Phelon takes the reins. As a state representative, my colleagues and I make many transitions over the course of our term in office. Right now we are transitioning from formal legislative sessions to informal sessions. This allows us to spend more time in our districts and frees us up from having to travel to Beacon Hill as frequently. We have our own elections coming up, although the focus this year is decidedly on the presidential race at the top of the ticket. Still, we find ourselves transitioning from public servants to politicians at least every two years. The New England Patriots have a transition to make now that star quarterback Tom Brady is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. We’ll see how the team and their coaches deal with this time of transition. Maybe it will challenge them and bring out their best. After September 11, 2001 our nation transitioned into a country at war. Perhaps this was the hardest transition we’ve ever had to make. Members of our armed forces, returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, have to make the difficult transition back to civilian life after a long, dangerous, arduous tour of duty. Westfield finds itself in the sad transition to life without Don Blair. Don passed away last week. He was one of the most active members of the Westfield community that I have ever known. He once showed me his day planner and every page was full. I asked him how he found the time to do all the things he did. He told me, with a twinkle in his eye, that he retired from the banking world, but was busier now than when he was working. A long time ago Don recruited me to serve on the board of the new Westfield Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. As Nomination Committee chairman, he asked me to become a member of the Westfield Athenaeum Board of Directors. Now, I am the chair of the Nomination Committee. And Don used to invite me to be a guest auctioneer every year during the Westfield Kiwanis auction. At the Westfield Women’s Club Garden Tea and the Chamber Pancake Breakfast I would see Don Blair playing his banjo and entertaining people. That’s the type of guy he was. My condolences to his family. He will be missed. It’s been often said that “change is hard.” I’m not sure what differentiates change from transition. Perhaps changes happen more quickly than transition. Maybe transitions are a more gradual process. I don’t know. But my professor was correct 20 years ago. Life is about transitions. * * * Representative Humason and his Legislative Aide Jonelle Gingrich may be reached at his State House office, Room 542. Boston, MA 02133. (617) 722-2803. Representative Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at his Westfield district office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085. (413) 568-1366. Representative Don Humason’s website is www.DonHumason.org
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TRANSITIONS

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

September 13, 2008

My old college professor at Westfield State College once told me “Life is about transitions.” I must confess: at the time I didn’t know what the heck he was talking about. This week I found myself remembering his comment and thinking a great deal about the transitions of life.

As summer ends we transition into fall. School teachers and students transition back to class after summer vacations. College kids transition back to school after their break.

With fall comes the start of the foliage and we in Massachusetts transition to one of the nicest seasons of the year. The bright, su nny days and cool, crisp nights are a pleasant transition from the hazy, hot, and humid days of summer.

Our country is in the midst of a long presidential election campaign cycle that is finally winding down after two long years. Soon, America will make the peaceful transition of power via our election November 4 that separates us from many countries around the world.

The new administration, be it McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden, will have to transition into the kind of leadership this country is asking for and expecting.

Transition is never easy, especially after a previous administration has occupied the Oval Office for so long. Preside nt George W. Bush had the same issues with transition after 8 years of President Bill Clinton’s administration.

In Westfield Mayor Boulanger had to make a transition from military life to political life after his election. His administration made the transition after many years of Mayor Rick Sullivan’s leadership. Rick, himself, had to make the transition from city mayor to state commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The Westfield Fire Department is transitioning from one leader to another as Chief Tom Kane retires and Chief Bill Phelon takes the reins.

As a state representative, my colleagues and I make many transitions over the course of our term in office. Right now we are transitioning from formal legislative sessions to informal sessions. This allows us to spend more time in our districts and frees us up from having to travel to Beacon Hill as frequently.

We have our own elections coming up, although the focus this year is decidedly on the presidential race at the top of the ticket. Still, we find ourselves transitioning from public servants to politicians at least every two years.

The New England Patriots have a transition to make now that star quarterback Tom Brady is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. We’ll see how the team and their coaches deal with this time of transition. Maybe it will challenge them and bring out their best.

After September 11, 2001 our nation transitioned into a country at war. Perhaps this was the hardest transition we’ve ever had to make. Members of our armed forces, returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, have to make the difficult transition back to civilian life after a long, dangerous, arduous tour of duty.

Westfield finds itself in the sad transition to life without Don Blair. Don passed away last week. He was one of the most active members of the Westfield community that I have ever known. He once showed me his day planner and every page was full. I asked him how he found the time to do all the things he did. He told me, with a twinkle in his eye, that he retired from the banking world, but was busier now than when he was working.

A long time ago Don recruited me to serve on the board of the new Westfield Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. As Nomination Committee chairman, he asked me to become a member of the Westfield Athenaeum Board of Directors. Now, I am the chair of the Nomination Committee. And Don used to invite me to be a guest auctioneer every year during the Westfield Kiwanis auction.

At the Westfield Women’s Club Garden Tea and the Chamber Pancake Breakfast I would see Don Blair playing his banjo and entertaining people. That’s the type of guy he was. My condolences to his family. He will be missed.

It’s been often said that “change is hard.” I’m not sure what differentiates change from transition. Perhaps changes happen more quickly than transition. Maybe transitions are a more gradual process. I don’t know. But my professor was correct 20 years ago. Life is about transitions.

* * *

Representative Humason and his Legislative Aide Jonelle Gingrich may be reached at his State House office, Room 542. Boston, MA 02133. (617) 722-2803.
Representative Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at his Westfield district office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085. (413) 568-1366.
Representative Don Humason’s website is www.DonHumason.org

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group