August is on its way out, still no decent rain though. We have just survived another small heatwave (cannot remember how many so far this summer), lots of sunshine and blue skies, warmer temperatures than usual at night making it hard to sleep, even a partial solar eclipse, but no rain (I do not think a bit of drizzle here and there would count). One cannot help it but wonder if it will ever rain again, won’t it? A few months ago, we were all tired of not being able to enjoy a proper summer; I guess one needs to be careful of what to wish for. It is getting harder to think of the last time raindrops were reaching the ground and one could relish the smell of petrichor, such a long distance memory. Every week the weatherman somberly announces no rain forecasted for the next following days. We are all praying for rain to come back and nourish the soil, but our prayers keep being ignored at the moment.
Obviously, another beautiful evening here in South West Wicklow, the sun is shining, the sky is super blue, not clouds on the horizon. However, the plants, the lawn, even the hedge, they all look tired and desperately asking for water to nourish them. The sun is heading west earlier than usual, it feels cooler that previous days, it may be a sign that hot summer days are coming to an end. Birds are having a bath at their water feeder, taking turns so there is a long waiting queue, they also miss the rain. After such a warm summer, with no rain since mid-June, the fear is that harsh winter is on the way.
My usual cupán tae, it has become a sort of a ritual for my writing sessions. No candle flickering away, I do miss it though; it is comforting to see the flame dancing away while my words settle in. No music today, did not feel like it. Chief Superintendent Smudge the Cat is next to me again, the team is back. She is in a deep sleep, better get down to business before she opens one of her eyes and thinks it is treat time!
After my last blog post “hang on in there…” one of my usual readers sent me a nice message complimenting my writing as a source of inspiration, adding that on top of staying strong one needs to be able to embrace change. Those words stuck with me. I have been so focused on hanging on, on building enough resilience to keep me going, on not giving up when hope levels are very low, on staying somehow positive. I have been so concentrated on keeping the spirits up, on sailing the storm of tough days, on surviving the shades of darker moments. I have been so centred on simply getting by, on trying to go with the flow, on awaiting new horizons. That is probably the reason why I had not thought too much of the next step: the change.
Let’s embrace change and welcome new adventures…
The reason why people hesitate to leave their comfort zones is because of the fear of reshaping their lives, the panic of the unknown, the dread of moving onto a new stage. It is scary to leave behind what you are familiar with, mainly because you know that once you move forward it will too fast become a vague blurred image of what used to be. We are afraid of our surroundings transforming into a completely new scenario where everything seems to be strange to us mostly because we are trained to deal with what is known without much effort. It is scary stepping out to unknown paths with the pressure of having to start again over your shoulders. We like things to remain the same, unchanged, unaltered, unvaried. We are happy to contemplate life sitting on the same old bench, holding the same old cup, wearing the same old woolly hat. It is easier to remain where you are and never venture into no man’s land..
Let’s embrace change and open the door to whatever is on the other side…
I guess though that not everyone can welcome change with open arms, and that is fine. For those a bit more adventurous, the excitement of something different can make them overcome the fear to walk away from the comfort of their routines. Obviously, I am one of them! A new journey does not scare me enough to stop me from accepting a new challenge and abandoning what has been familiar. I just grab the opportunity, looking forward to what is ahead of me, without much hesitation. I simply pause for a minute or two, and then I make up my mind to go for it. I do not particularly procrastinate or like wondering what would have been if I had taken that road. My adventurous and bold side tend to take the lead and guide me towards new dimensions. However, even though I make it look easy, it is not that straight forward. It requires wild power, strength, determination and the ability to endure having to start again. It implies goodbyes, leaving behind, and sacrifices. With the blink of an eye you find yourself in a completely metamorphosed situation, without being able to go back to where you were.
Let’s embrace change and allow life to surprise you…
For me, what makes change even harder are the goodbyes that come along with it. To be honest, who likes farewells? Not me! It is a tough experience, you see the door slowly closing, however once you have said goodbye and make a step forward that door is fully closed and you cannot open it again. You are forced to leave behind what has been that cosy couch of family, friends, or work colleagues. You cannot help it but wonder how many will keep in touch, if your paths will ever cross again, whether they will remember you in a few months’ time. The thing is we are well used to attached ourselves to people, material things, places, routines… And change comes along detachment, without hardly any notice…
Nevertheless, I have to admit that change is good, it is a way to challenge yourself! It opens your eyes to unique opportunities, which at the same time may bring incredible future chances. It leads you to defy your somehow written path.
Let’s embrace change and welcome new adventures. Let’s embrace change and open the door to whatever is on the other side. Let’s embrace change and allow life to surprise you.
JayCeeMoon ©
Jaycee Moon 