Upheaval

The one constant of life is change.

Things are changing, in many small ways.

For one thing, this past week my daughters moved quite a ways away. Since my ex and I separated, they’ve always lived within about a mile. This was to ensure that if any particular transitional object (blankie, duckie, etc) were inadvertently left at the other parent’s house, the crisis could be easily remedied. Wednesdays and every other weekend, I’d swing by to pick my girls up on the way home. No problem.

But because of various factors, my ex had to relocate quickly. They found a place about a half hour away. There isn’t going to be any more “swinging by on the way” now. Wednesday after work I’ll have to rush to Ms K’s to get Michael, and then make the trek down through rush-hour traffic to get the girls, then fight my way back home.

Another change is that my wife has a new job. Same company, different department. She’ll be working in a hospital setting now, instead of driving around to people’s homes. This is a good change, in my opinion: being in a controlled environment, there’s less potential for her to run into some unsavory character. I was always a little nervous about her driving around in less pleasant areas, working in the homes of people she’d never met, or getting lost.

And later this year, Michael will be starting kindergarten. I’m not sure if he’s ready for kindergarten. I’m not sure if kindergarten is ready for Michael. We’ll need to find a new place for Michael to be during the span of time when kindergarten isn’t in session and his mom and I are still at work.

All these changes mean a shift in our routine. Our well-ordered and time-tested schedule must be tossed out. I like routines; they make things easy. It keeps things tidy and eases the mind of having to deal with at least some questions.

But changes inevitably come, and in my years I’ve learned that it’s best to embrace them and be prepared for them, rather than let them overwhelm you.