change

I've been thinking a lot lately about how life changes.

I'm normally one to say that I love change . . . I love moving to new places, not knowing anyone, and having/getting to start over; I love switching up my haircut (though, it's a much longer process to go from short to long than the other way around . . . ); I love new semesters filled with new classes.

Some changes are harder, though. 

As you go through life, you meet lots of different people. Some stay acquaintances, others become fast friends. Some friendships, though strong, are short, while other friendships are lifelong. 

Like I said, I'm usually a fan of change. I realize that even though some friendships are only temporary, they are still worth it. I don't regret my childhood friendships just because they're mostly over now (except for the occasional FB hello). I don't regret the time spent with friends in Jr. High because I learned a lot from those experiences, and I enjoyed that time. And even though I no longer talk to my best friend from high school, I don't regret that either, because that friendship helped shape me.

But these changes and transitions can still be hard. 

When you get married, some friends fall by the wayside. It's not that you don't care about them. It's just that life is different when you're married. You have that built-in friend that you don't have to call ahead to set something up with. It's easy, and it's wonderful, too, because it's someone you love spending time with. So it gets harder to make that call or to set up that lunch date. Life is busy, and Husband fills in the gaps instead of a social life. And you don't regret that, because you love spending time with your husband.

And while these types of changes are happening with you and your relationships, you don't really expect it to change for anyone else. Everything is supposed to stay the same. Only it doesn't.

Your best friends have to move on, too. You've replaced them with your husband, so they replace you with new friends. A new best friend, even. And you want to be mad, and you want to say it's not fair; but you can't. Because it's just life. And they deserve to have someone who can be there for them, because you already have someone who is there for you.

It's just a change. It's just life.

And I realize that I could have taken some measures to prevent these changes. But I also think that life constantly changes, so sometimes prevention just postpones the inevitable.

But these changes do make me appreciate the constants in my life: God and Russ. 

God will always listen to me, if I make the effort to talk to Him. He will always comfort me, if I seek His comfort. He is always willing to rebuild our relationship, if I let it fall by the wayside.

Russ will be my eternal best friend. He will be by my side as we move over the next several years. He will be there for transitions into parenthood and into emptynester-hood. He will always be the one with whom I can share my innermost thoughts and feelings, hopes and fears.

Even with all the changes that life brings, there will always be those two constants to see me through it :)

How do you handle changes in your life? What has been a challenging change you've had to face?


**ashleynicole