The Times Are Changing

 

It’s Christmas at the big box stores in our town.

And today the weather jumped on board and got into the spirit of things.

My social media feeds are today lit up with pictures of people decorating for Christmas.

Only yesterday folks were sharing photos of pumpkin spice lattes and colorful leaves.

I’m not sure exactly when the change occurred?

Seasons of the year can be like that, sneaking up on me.

There I am, going about my daily routine, not really paying close attention, and suddenly — Poof!

Autumn turned into winter.

I think the seasons of my life work exactly the same way.

I’m cruising through my days, not really paying attention, and I suddenly experience that exact same sort of “Poof!”

Blindsided by changes I didn’t see coming.

• The job I loved is no longer something I look forward to on Monday mornings.
• A goal I’ve worked hard to achieve somehow doesn’t seem all that important once I’ve finally accomplished it.

Is it me who has changed?

Sometimes.

I’m older, and my time is more precious. Maybe my priorities have shifted.

I’m certainly less willing to put up with someone else’s drama at my own expense.

Or is it the world that’s changed around me?

All I need to do is turn on the news to know that sometimes it’s that, too.

The important thing is noticing those changes and then dealing with them–rather than working so hard to ignore them.

Or worse–pretend they don’t exist.

Another part of the puzzle is this: when I’m running around like a chicken loading the washing machine or unloading the dishwasher, it won’t matter if it’s snowing outside or not…I won’t be watching, so I’ll miss it.

When I was in high school, every evening while my mom did the dishes, she called my grandmother…”just to check in and make sure she’s okay.” It was part of her daily routine for years up until the time Grandma died.

The busier I am, the easier it is to overlook the changes going on around me and within me.

Now, I see the importance of slowing down long enough to do the same kind of daily check in with myself — just to make sure I’m okay.

Some people keep a journal; I use the #ThisDaysJoy on Facebook as my check-in reminder to find a bright spot for the day. However, in doing so I inevitably reflect on everything that’s happened, and especially what might have changed during the day.

Heraclitus was correct when he said “The only thing that is constant is change,” and the more we try to deal with changes as they come along, the less likely we are to be blindsided by them.