Change

One thing prompted me to write this note. but as I started writing, I realized that it speaks true of many different areas in my life.

This weekend, I found out that two of my co-workers were laid off. People I work with, talk to, vent to, laugh with, listen to, and appreciate--people who I love being around. That's frustrating in and of itself. At the cafe it's hard. When business hasn't been so good, we can't keep everyone. It's not that I don't understand. It's mainly the feeling of helplessness. Knowing that I can't change it.

Today, I found out that in addition to the lay-offs, the cafe now closes at two every day. No more cafe nights. September of 2007, we started making Monday nights "cafe nights." Basically a living hell for the employees at the cafe, having to get used to having two dozen, sometimes more, junior high and highschool kids "living" in the cafe for two hours that night every week. But for those kids, that was two hours of sharing details of their lives with one another, hanging out to perhaps forget, at least for that little while, any struggles that were going on. Or, sometimes, it was just to have fun and be a kid.

I'll admit, I'm not exactly the kind of person who embraces change and loves bouncing from one thing to the next, ready for whatever life throws at me. I like comfort. And unfortunately, I always get used to the routine. When things change, I don't like it. I don't like that my routine has been messed up and that I have to do things differently. Because of that, I seldom think of the benefits of change. I keep talking about how much I want change. The ironicity is almost hilarious. I've said time and time again that I'm sick of routine, and that I want change! It's a constant battle within me: "I don't like being stuck in a routine." but "Oh well, it's comfortable."

So, hard as it is, I think it's wonderful when change is thrown at you. You're given the decision to either run with the change, or stand and watch what happens, stubbornly choosing not to move because you're afraid of the change.

It's hard not to stand still and refuse to move. But when you stand still, that's just time flying by in front of your eyes, while the world continues to go on. Don't pout about change, learn to adapt to it. Or at least move with it, even if you don't agree. Complaining doesn't get you anywhere. Hating change doesn't mean it'll go away. You don't have control over it.