Ch-ch-changes

October is the month of changes here in Kentucky. Beauty can surround you as the trees and bushes withdraw their chloropyhyll and reveal the color left in their leaves. Autumn beckons with its reds, oranges, and golden yellows. Autumn is but a brief pause as the year unwinds with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Autumn beckons me this year with change. I wasn’t looking for it as I visited General Butler Park nearby in Carrollton, KY. I sat by the lake while admiring the lake and the beauty of the autumn foliage. I reminisced as I remembered how we used to come to the lake and enjoy the swimming area as a child. I remembered the times we had Sunday School picnic there, too.

I moved away from the lake to sit at another picnic table. I mused to myself how the park used to have several tables sitting on this concrete pad and a trash can, too. Then it hit me. I came to the park looking for direction from where I am in life. Instead it was a reminder of what is constant in life – change.

Life is all about change. Change comes in phases. The innocent childhood phase with its playfulness and questions. The rebelliousness teenage years. The college years of explorations of self and new horizons. Post college it was a time of turmoil and acceptance. Then came love and a higher calling to something more than myself. For the past eight years or so changes have come at a grievous pace culminating in acceptance.

Now I’m about to turn 60. I’ve been at my present job for over 25 years. Changes beckons me in several areas. I must change or change will come to me in ways I may not like. I must summon the courage to act on this moment. I have the gift of wisdom and patience. I am confident and up to the task of moving forward.

Days of Autumn and Change

Days of Autumn.
Distant memories
Of days gone by.
Reminding me
Not all is lost.
They are always with me
While moving forward
Into a new world.
*
Memories challenge me.
Someone else trod this path.
Knew the heartaches
And felt the pain.
They pushed forward
And so can I.
Days of Autumn
And of change.

Change My ‘Current World’

I’ve been reading a portion of an email from Laissez Faire Today, lftoday @lfb .org. Part of the email centers around a letter that a reader named David had written. David and his wife had to make a life changing decision to leave the United States and move to Ecuador because of health issues that his wife was experiencing. In the letter he goes on to describe how both their health status has improved. The part of the letter that I like the most was his comments: “So my advice to anyone who may be fearful of taking that ‘first or next risky step’: Consider how life changing that step might be.

“I admit, in most cases, a move overseas may not be the radical solution you are looking for. But whatever it is that ails you, take that little step, that large step, that next step, or that giant leap if you want to change your current world. “The results may be better than you even imagined. It was for us.”

How fortunate I am to read these comments from someone who had to take a big leap of faith to do something most people would never consider doing. No, I’m not planning to move out of the country (at least not yet). My leap of faith is starting a portable business. My leap of faith is to rediscover myself. My leap of faith is re-discovering a relationship with a woman. From these leaps of faith I will discover so many wonderful things about myself and the life that I live.

I am renewed in my journey forward. I am inspired. I can change my “current world”.