Winters change and so do WE....

Sometimes you just have to laugh her, the it; through the changes of life, the changes of weather, the changes of just everything while kicking and screaming all the way! The Winter of 2014, as the snow, ice, hazards of cold have dropped temperatures to minus degrees like we have never seen before. Yesterday I watched the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers take the field, a brown, hard and frozen field at that. I saw clips of the "tailgate" parties, the glasses of beer that froze right there before they could be enjoyed! I had to wonder if folks were feeling the pain of the frost or too excited for what was happening or those they were with. Those teams about to discover who moved ahead, who watched from the comforts of home. They played their hearts out as their breath was seen with each rapid exhale by the fog... the stands filled to capacity with folks just as cold as cold could be imagined by those of us on our couches good and warm, yet they showed up and showed their loyalty for those teams on the field. ONe woman was seen in a bikini.. as most were in layers upon layers from head to toe. The reward for their loyalty? 2 cups of free coffee or hot chocolate from the stadium vendors! The game went on, the enthusiasm filled the frigid air, change was seen as the arctic air moved into crazed energy with each play, each move, and the score ended with a win for the 49ers by 3 points! Oh what a game, oh such cold, frigid temperatures across our lands. Airports filled with those trying to get from point A to B.. So many freshly home from vacations of warmth now trying to figure out how to get out of the front door of their home and adjust to the plunging temperatures of today.

We are hearing about the temperatures dropping in ND, SD, CO, IL, and the NorthEast... now the cold is to hit Alabama and Florida tonight threatening that sweet fruit on the trees. Folks are in frenzy mode to prepare, to stay warm, safe, and hopefully off the roads.  The worst news for parents they can possibly hear after a long vacation of no school, seems to be "schools are closed", yet the whole state of MN is closed, and heaven knows so many others as well across the lands.  Change, change, it's all about change. It's also about "what does not change", who refuses to change, how do we change and when? Will we ever like change? Oh the questions the answers the "feelings" ...

Coffee tasty, ready to STOMP and own the day!

Are you ... your own "change agent" and independent power house

 able and willing to embrace change in a heartbeat? Children are great teachers in the world of change, able to shift their focus and change their state at times astonishing the adults around them. Perhaps in a world of go here, do this, accomplish that, bend to the wishes of others, we could all learn to go back to that time... Don't like something? Don't do it. Want life better or different, work the plan to make it so... Can't change it? Make a different plan, a different choice, a different approach.

 Everything changes, except the waters, they roll in they roll out, we can count on that.  The sun will rise, it will set, but even that will change on the time, on the density of the cloud cover.

"BAM"

Change your physiology/change your focus/

Change your state:

Just like that:

Change is constant. The only constant in life is change ~ look around you; look at our children... sometimes as we reflect we realize how quickly change has happened ~

The thing folks seem to least like in their lives is change... although change is always at work, always a part of our lives; whether wanted or not!

As we live life richly, we are forever changed by our experiences, our travels, our journey.

Growth can be a painful process sprinkled with intense loveliness.

Sometimes we change on purpose, sometimes circumstances, events, life experiences change us without our consent. Sometimes we may even kick/scream/holler through it... sometimes.

We may not like to admit it but, change can sneak up on us.

While we are busy living, subtle influences can impact us. Maybe not always in the best way...

The people we spend time with, colleagues at work, family, friends, attitudes and situations.

 They change! Folks come into our lives for reasons, seasons, and some forever... as do situations... sometimes...

Each influence our behavior, our beliefs, our habits. Some of those influences may jade us in ways we never believed possible ~ so sad those times can be.

This is a bit of a quagmire. We want to allow only the changes we choose or cause, yet there are times when we reflect on who we are, and what we have become and find ourselves perplexed.

When did this “happen?”

What has brought me to this place in time?

Who am I?

What happened to the me I used to be?

Most people can look back over the years and identify a time and place at which their lives changed significantly.

"Whether by accident or design, these are the moments when, because of a readiness within us and a constellation of events occurring around us, we are forced to seriously reappraise ourselves and the conditions under which we live and to make certain choices that will affect the rest of our lives." Anonymous

So, are we really making conscious choices?

 Are we even aware of these subtleties in ourselves?

 I see this most clearly as I observe usually buoyant people lose their resilience.

Kind and caring people become jaded and less unselfish.

I think we must pay attention to these changes in ourselves, no matter how small.

We owe it to those we love to probe a bit and reflect the changes we see in them, whether good or not.

If we speak with kind words, to ourselves, and the people we care about, we can explore these changes. We can make choices for ourselves. We all can also realize that our path is our path, not that of another, our words may be not always heard, our intention may not always be understood.

 Perhaps we will readjust our attitudes, or become more self-aware.

When talking about change, about things that affect each individual, it seems that most will offer in honesty that they do not like it much. 

If we make a choice to change, to grow, we can work toward an end.

 If we allow ourselves to change without purpose, we may become less or different than we desire.

 Know that while change is inevitable, we prefer mindful change when it comes to the person that we are.

 The values we hold dear, the behaviors we like and admire in ourselves.

Even purposeful change can be a bit bewildering. Sometimes we set out to make one change and find that many shifts in our thinking or behavior takes place. This change may be what we were after, or, well, something altogether different. But change we do.

So lets do it with the intent that we will arrive exactly at the place we want to be.

Yes, it may be a journey.

 It may be a challenge. But remember who we are. 

Take charge of who you intend to be.

Be aware of the changes, the influences, and there consequences and rewards.

 It goes both ways.

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."

C. S. Lewis

We are NOT ordinary “eggs”. We are not stagnant! We are powerful folks here...

So, growth and change can be the wings that allow us to soar.

 Not a bad outcome.

Life does indeed change us. Sometimes without even a bit of help from us.

Sometimes for the better.

Sadly, sometimes for the worse.

Let us be sure that the change we desire is the change we allow.

So I will close with another wonderful quote:

"Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress."

Bruce Barton

We are meant to be all that we intend.

We are capable of causing the changes we desire.

We are stewards our own lives.

We must govern the changes, or be governed by them.

Purposeful change is invigorating, is uplifting, marvelous.

These are the changes I wish for us all as we move into this new year of 2014. The fire is burning brightly, the embers are hot... with thoughts on the winds of hope in healing; strength in all ways and right way relations.

 

May you walk through the winter storm with strong protection against the wind, the cold, staying safe and warm.

 

I wish you enough,

WAlk in beauty,

DRSES