Transitions

Here it is, the end of another year--a time of transitions in more ways than one.

My vacation ends Monday night, then it's back to work on Tuesday. That's hard to stomach. I've enjoyed my week off, had fun, and gotten a few big projects done. We even went bowling tonight--something I haven't done in ages. I'd love to have a job where I could have summers off to be with the girls and travel. Someday.

It's a transition time at church, too. My term on the session (leadership body) ends today. It's been three long, tough years. Some of the work has been greatly satisfying, and some has been frustrating and even depressing. But I made it through. Now, I'm looking forward to having some extra time on my hands--not so many meetings!

My sister is having a hard transition this week. Her computer crashed so badly that she now has to replace it. Even her computer-driven, computer-obsessed son couldn't resurrect it. So she's without email, without her blog, and without the vast internet resource until she buys a new one. Her son is trying to get her to buy a Mac instead of a PC. He is a Mac convert, as is her son-in-law. She's the only PC-driven member of the family in the area. I wonder what she will decide to do. It may be better for her to switch. She's not like me--we have too many PC-based applications to change now. We'll have to see. But I don't envy her disconnect from the world in the meantime. I guess I'll have to call her on the phone if I want to talk with her!

Change is a fearsome thing. We get so set in our ways that we're reluctant to rock the boat at all. For instance, I've been in the same job for 11 years now. One thing that's kept me there has been the famliarity of the position and the company. I've looked for another job elsewhere periodically, but I've yet to find that one position that I'd really love to have. And if your choice is between something foreign and bland, you might as well stay with the familiar and bland.

I guess I'm not a risk-taker, except perhaps in my carpentry projects! I wish I could be more like that, though. There's so much I want to see and do in my life, and at the age of 49, I'm becoming more acutely aware of the finite number of years left.

And that, I suppose, is going to be my biggest transition this year. I turn 50 in July. A half century! I remember turning 30, when I was depressed because I had no significant other in my life at that time and no prospects. Then when I turned 40, I was depressed because I felt old and fat. Now comes 50. How will I feel in seven months? I hope I will have taken some new risks, will feel at peace with my body and be in good health, and content in whatever I'm doing.

Contentment--now THAT would be a change for the better!