Thursday, July 09, 2009

Embracing the New



I took this photo at Sharon's house the other day. This is what a flower grown by a landscaper looks like. I felt the need to offer that disclaimer in case you thought I had grown a perfect flower like this. That is not the case.

It's a beautiful night here this evening. There are storms just a few miles away from us but we've had no rain at all. But it has cooled off and it's just lovely. I've spent the night working on things around my house. I'm having folks over tomorrow night for the ad hoc book group and there is no way my house is going to be as tidy as I'd like. But, so it goes.

I've never felt the need for my house to be pristine before having guests. If I did, I'd never have guests. I seem to always have something in process. At the moment it's going through my office and cleaning all my kitchen cabinets. The room between them is the dining room. Guess where stuff is piled? So, I'll set up a card table in the living room, put a table cloth on it and put the cold drinks in there. I had planned to bake something but I'm not sure I'm going to do that. I doubt anyone is going to want anything as hot as it is going to be tomorrow. And I'm not sure heating up my house is a good idea either.

I'm feeling a real shift in my life these days. It's more than just having a new job. Things are shifting in a major way. I was thinking about this early today and then on twitter someone sent part of this quote, which I love.

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. 
                                Alan Cohen

I don't know how much courage it takes to embrace the new, but I certainly believe there is power in change. "Courage" is sometimes another way of saying "inevitable." But I suppose there is a difference in being swept along by the inevitable, and embracing the new.

Sometimes I read - or very occasionally write - a phrase that stays with me. "Embracing the new" is one of those, I'm sure. It's such a lovely turn of phrase.

I think I'm a person who embraces the new. It's exciting to meet new people, learn new things and go new places. And it seems my life offers plenty of opportunity for newness.

My friend, Leah, used to say, "your life is weird. I know you don't do anything to make your life weird, but it's weird." I'm not sure if that's true, but my life does seem to have many moments of wonder, for which I'm grateful.
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