Summer of Change

 

This summer has been about change.  This thought came to me when I went from sweltering humidity on Sunday to cold breezes while waiting for the bus on Tuesday.  We had gone from the heat of August to the chill of October in two days.  And I understand that we'll be swinging back up towards the 90s next week.  (Which makes complete sense; it's when my son goes back to college.  That scared me as the dorm he chose to live in had no a/c, but over the weekend he and his suitemates got notification that they've been moved to a different and newer dorm that does have a/c. Or so I've been told; we'll find out the truth when we move him in on what promises to be a hot day!)  We've had heat waves and floods and all sorts of crazy changes.

But it's not just the weather that has changed this summer.  There has been violence.  There has been an assassination attempt.  There has been an abrupt change to party leaders.  There has been a surge of  excitement and hope.  Change is in the air all over the country, or so it seems to me.

Change has been a big part of my life this summer. Okay, so changes have been "interrupting" my summer for the past three years.  There was major change when my mother died in 2022.  There was more major change in 2023 when my father died and my son went off to college.  This summer I sold my mother's dream house because keeping it was turning into a nightmare for me (especially every time it rained) and the costs...well, I have three more years of college to pay for (it is only three more years, right?) AND it's time for me to start thinking about my dreams and my future.  While old age looms large in my mirror; there is more than a decade to go before I could consider retirement.  I say consider because who knows what is coming our way?  Retirement was once something I thought I could never do financially.  Then I thought I could.  Now I'm wondering...change is in the air.

I'm feeling particularly old when I'm in the office.  An (slightly) older co-worker was let go earlier in the summer.  (After 20 years of service!)  This summer 2 new hires were brought in (as well as an additional person joining our Mumbai "office")  The average age of the three newest people in the office (as well as 2 other co-workers who only are required to come in once a week or once a month) is 25.  The fact that the majority of people who share the same job title as I do (although we all work on different lines of business), are just a little older than my son is disconcerting.  And although my title has remained the same for the past 8+ years, what I actually do changes CONSTANTLY.  There are so many nuances (particularly when it comes to writing/editing proposals) and updates, I'm constantly second guessing myself...and that's a change I don't like.

However, as they say, the only thing constant is change, right?  As this month closes, I'm working on some positive changes.  (Because who doesn't need positive?)  As Oprah would say (at least I think it's Oprah) , I'll be (trying) to live my best life.  My "plan" (do I really have one?  No!) is to try to embrace all the changes (both good and bad) as the temperatures dip, the days become shorter and the leaves on the trees start to turn those beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red.  (Not that there's anything wrong with green,)  As things change around me, it's time for me to make some changes too?

We'll be in a new season soon enough.  I'm getting ready for it and going into it with an outlook of hope, enthusiasm and readiness.