It has been a time of change for me, so, naturally, I found myself thinking about change and all the things that go along with it. I became aware of the contradicting experiences and reactions that accompany change. There is mourning and hope in change. There is rupture and adventure. There is separation and liberation. There is complication and clarity. Bottom line, change is stressful and distressing, EVEN when it’s wanted.

There is loss in change. There were things that I knew I would miss: people I love, familiar places, predictable routines. Now there are moments that I am surprised by the sadness of parting with things I didn’t even know I had grown to care about and to love.

Change brings the thrill and promise of meeting new people, discovering new places, establishing new routines. Those, however, are things we hope for, not things we can rely on. They can generate enthusiasm, but not comfort. The curiosity and anticipation that accompany change also betray the uncertainty and apprehension in the mix.

There are a few things that can and often do remain rather constant in change. The things we love and hate typically don’t change. The things we want and fear often stay the same. The things that come easy to us and the things we struggle with are the same old ones. The best and the worst parts of us will often be right there, regardless of how differently things look around us.

Changes on the outside present the opportunity to make decisions about what we want to change and what we want to preserve on the inside. What do we want to leave behind? What do we want to keep? When things on the outside change, it can be easier to be thoughtful and purposeful. It is easier to choose people, choose places, and develop routines that support that which is best in us and for us.