My father-in-law loves to remind us how we should relish the current moment because it simply won’t last. Before you know it, life has made another change for you and your current state is altered forever going forward.
The latest movies including Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse focus on how one small change affects everything and everyone around us. Some refer to this as “the butterfly effect” which Mirriam-Webster describes as “a property of chaotic systems (such as the atmosphere) by which small changes in initial conditions can lead to large-scale and unpredictable variation in the future state of the system.” In other words, even the change of course of a butterfly’s flight to alter some other behavior can ripple to change the course of history for everyone and everything everywhere.
It’s mind boggling.
I wonder, then, what is the universe doing with all of the immense changes happening in my little life. Actually, in the grand scope of things, what’s going on may as well be the breath of a butterfly. However, in my own little universe, there’s much to unpack and process.
We just wrapped up renovations on the two upstairs bathrooms in our house. We’re thrilled that the project is done and that we have some semblance of normalcy back in the home. No more are the hallways cluttered with odds and ends nor is there drywall dust or the smell of paint and caulk. This is a very welcome change.
With it, however, comes, of course, the change in our cash output as we pay back the loan. This is an anticipated and calculated change, but it’s still one of some significance.
On a similar note, our youngest child recently got braces. While not having any significant impact on me, it’s still a welcome and anticipated change knowing that the teeth will be straight and oral health will be improved. An unanticipated but welcome change is the positive demeanor and self assuredness this has brought for the child. Again, however, the loan payback begins… blech.
Recently, I had a bout of non-COVID-related bronchitis which shook my world for a few days. However, I haven’t quite yet fully recovered – such is a common story with chronic bronchitis. This, unfortunately, impacted my sleep patterns a bit. But, daily things are getting better and back on track.
In just a few more weeks, we’ll have a huge transition happen when school begins for the kids and for my wife, who is an outstanding middle-school music teacher. The younger two begin their next years on their high school journeys, and our eldest will be completing his senior year of college down state. Everyone’s daily schedule gets changed. Luckily, last week and this week help to prepare for this as “the little ones” are in band camp where my wife is volunteering her time – so all are accustomed to rising earlier each day and getting their respective game faces on earlier.
Another significant change is the launch of a new website for a legal client. I’m also looking at a couple more upcoming launches in the weeks to come. Big changes for me, but also big, positive changes for my clients who are already experiencing some of the freedom and other benefits of having a better-built web presence with more control.
In just four weeks, I’m looking forward to another positive change which will bring about immense benefits while delivering a full workload – going back to class at Purdue in my pursuit of my MS in I-O Psychology. I honestly look forward to getting back in that groove.
Finally, there’s another enormous change: as of Friday, July 22, 2022, I have left my role as an Regional Marketing Consultant for True Value Corporation and am transitioning to a Marketing Director position with Matanky Realty Group and MRG Construction. It was a difficult decision to leave the people with whom I worked; I really enjoyed getting to know them and to make some positive changes. However, I realized early on that my role at True Value wasn’t quite right. This move to my new Marketing Director position is familiar territory – after all, I’ve spent the better part of the last dozen years or so in similar roles for other companies. However, after nearly three years of remote work, this transition will squarely transition me to being a Downtown Chicago commuter – something I haven’t done since 2015.
Through all of this change, I’m thankful to have the love and support of my wife for the past 22 years of our marriage and the past 32 years of our friendship. I’m thankful too for the love and support of my parents, kids, inlaws, and friends. I’m thankful for my health, for the prosperity I’ve enjoyed, and even for the challenges because we’ve overcome them.
In today’s Gospel, we heard in Matthew 7:7, after the Lord taught the disciples to say the “Our Father,” the following familiar passage:
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Earl Nightingale in his The Strangest Secret recording references this bible quote because it really does have power and meaning, especially when you put your mind and heart and effort into attaining what you want, seek, and wish to be opened. I believe it. I’ve asked and received, sought and found, knocked and had doors opened for me. I consider myself lucky and blessed, truly.
What I must do now is to not be afraid – to not worry. Instead, I must trust and have faith that all of this is God’s plan.