The Meaning of Change (October 19)

“August began to feel a little different as the years passed. I discovered a glimmer of the liberation that increasing detachment could provide. But Hank was right. Change came at a cost. I was forced to imagine him vanishing into wretched city districts where I knew we could never meet. Meanwhile, Josée was entangling Rex in desires that probably neither of them fully understood.  And Bella had taken to visiting the Major so erratically that I missed her every time. That surely was not her intention, but like all of us, she was sparring with forces too powerful to escape completely. By that time, I perhaps was the one with the most plausible semblance of freedom to do as I chose. The challenge, of course, was deciding what that should be.”

And no doubt another challenge that youngsters face is simply to recognize that a fork in the road is approaching. How easily we can sleepwalk into unrecognized decisions that have as much life-altering impact as choices that are made consciously!

Thinking back over one’s life, it can be informative to identify key choices that were made at one time or another. Some of the most impactful may have slipped by unnoticed, only appearing for what they really are many years later. Careers, partners… but also places to live, or even nationalities. So many crossroads! Would you like to share one or two of the most important ones for yourself? If so, add a Comment.

P. 158

(Illustration generated by AI)