Changing Channels

Goddess used to like to take long meandering walks. She would lead me block after block, going this way and that, sniffing this and sniffing that. We would often take a good hour before she was ready to lead me back home again.

This week, every single walk has been around one block. Taking a right out of the yard, we go a short distance to the marsh and walk along side it, then we turn the corner and in front of Shirley's house she likes to run out on the dock. Then it is to Art's for a treat and then...well normally she would pull me along towards back river or up to Butler Avenue. Now she wants to return home and there is no convincing her otherwise.

Something has changed.

It is all very much like the beach, everything looks the same but everything is different at the same time. Outside my house very much looks the same, but inside it is very different than it was just a few days ago. The pictures are different. There is new furniture. New plants. New artwork. All mixed in and rearranged with the things that used to be here. Thanks to my Mom, what used to be a beach house is now a more elegant beach house.

And of course my life has been changed over the past several months. And like the beach I am both the same and very different. But that is living life isn't it?

The other day my friend Hugh said, "I can only hope that things settle down for you sooner than later. I understand this can't be easy, but right or wrong you have to push through to the other side."

So that is what Goddess and I are doing. I think that Goddess needs the stability and security of home right now. Too much has changed for her. She stays very close to me when I am here.

And I am leaning how to change channels, moving from one section of the river of life to another. The water between channels can be awful rough and treacherous so you have to do your best to stay on your toes. But if you keep at it you can make a successful crossing and find yourself sailing calm seas.

There's an island in the ocean
where the people stay in motion.
Somewhere in the old Gulf Stream,
do they live or did I dream,
They were changing channels
Waiting for their sales to fill
Changing channels
always will

So sings Jimmy Buffett, and I take solace in his words and I understand that what I am doing is changing channels. But I am doing it so that I can find myself at the place where I want to be. Just like you.