Seasons of Change

It's official. Carter is now employed in the Data Analysis Department for the school store. He starts training tomorrow to learn the Excel spreadsheet program and other aspects of the job. His life will never be the same!

We were talking at work just yesterday about jobs and life changes because our friend Katy is leaving our company for a new job (good for her!) and the husband of one of my co-workers has decided to quit his longtime job at the foundry to go to truck-driving school. Their lives, too, will never be the same.

My friend Sandy commented that we become "different people" about every 7-10 years. A "person" often defined, or at least influenced, by our current relationships, job situation or geographic location. Think about that.

Professionally, I was at my last job at the newspaper for 7+ years. At the end of that adventure I can clearly state that one, I was a different person, different employee, than when I started 7 years earlier. Two, I know I changed when I moved on to my current job, too.

Personally, I can guarantee you that some people who knew me 10 years ago are astonished at the changes in me over the course of a decade. For the better, of course. I made some important life decisions because I wanted to be a "different person."

And motherhood... Wow. Was I missing out! I wouldn't trade that for the world!

Today, my hubby and I look around and see we have a different circle of friends, too, some through work but a lot through church, through our neighborhood (where we've been 7+ years now) and through parenting (classmate and team parents). I can't imagine life without these people in it.

If we follow this 7- to 10-year pattern of evolution, it seems my 10-year gig is up. Is it time for another change? Personally or professionally? Will being 40 make me a "different person"? Can I control who I want to be or do I just roll with the changes?

Remember, being different doesn't mean it's good or bad. It's just, well, different. You might even like it. I know it's been good for me so far!