Adapting to change

The VOICE of Inspiration

By Don Lindsey

The summer is flying by, and in just about a month the kids will be back in school. Jesse, Kyle, and Emma are having a restful summer with fun and trips to either camp or to visit their Grandmother in Fort Pierce. When I look back on their growth, I’m very pleased with what I see. They are so inquisitive and compassionate to those around them.

I am also finding myself wishing that the whole growing up process would slow down.

Not only have they grown in maturity, but they’ve grown from a physical standpoint too. Our oldest has a full beard, which I still can’t grow, our middle son is taller than I am even though I don’t like to discuss that and at our daughter’s physical yesterday we learned that Emma, at 11 years old, is 5’5, which concerns me that two of my children will be taller than me. It’s been wonderful watching them grow into young caring adults but it’s also sad in a lot of ways because I’d like them to stay kids forever. For me, it’s one of those cases where I know that change is good, but I have a tough time adapting to it.

As I’ve written about in previous columns, watching my parents in their golden years is another example of me not adapting to change very well. It’s great to have them living under the same roof, but it also gives me a ringside seat to know that they won’t live forever, and that fact cements itself with every hospital visit or distressing day that they may have.

The more that I think back on it, I’m noticing a pattern with how I handle change. When I moved down here from Ohio to marry Tammy, which is the best life decision I’ve ever made, it took me two years to adapt to my new surroundings. I still can’t navigate outside of a 15-mile radius of my house without a GPS, so you could say that I’m still not fully adjusted to the move I made six years ago. I’m always telling myself that I’m looking forward to what life has in store for me and I do, however it seems as if I’m holding on to the past a little more than I need to. That will have to change if I want to get the most out of my life.

The kids are growing into wonderful people and focusing more on life events such as graduations, weddings, and grandchildren ground me and remind me that it’s up to Tammy and myself to continue to provide and teach our children how to be productive members of society. Savoring every minute with my mother and father will give me additional memories to relish when the inevitable happens. Life is so precious, and I am just wasting time when I worry. I have learned at several stages in my life that when I ask God to take away stress or concern, he will, so that is something else I’ll be working on.

In the end, how I adapt to change falls on me. I can keep worrying and wishing that we were in simpler times, or I can choose to notice all the wonderful things that change brings. Sometimes change is hard but finding positive things to focus on helps me to adapt much easier.

Don Lindsey is a follower of Christ, son, husband, father, and a survivor. Originally from Dayton Ohio, and resident of Apopka for six years, Don sees his life as a dedication to his wife, parents, children, and community.