Change is Good

by Jill Crossland

The evening meal usually finds us catching up on the day’s events, while snatching quick glances at the television to see what is happening in the world. With our home undergoing renovations this summer, some evenings it was just easier to eat outside. I couldn’t help but notice that with our ‘al fresco’ dinner, the conversation flowed and we even lingered a few minutes to enjoy the summer evening. It was in truth a small change to our routine only requiring a few extra steps to set up a table outside but significant in the realization that we felt more relaxed and recharged at the end of the meal.

What opportunities and new things do we miss in life because we are all so over planned and overscheduled? Even words and phrases such as; spontaneous, spur of the moment, change of routine, impulsive - seem to be disappearing from our vocabulary as we go from place to place, meal to meal and appointment to appointment.

Be open to the possible changes that you can make your life richer, more interesting or just fuller and that really don’t require any extra time or effort.

Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

• do something fun with the kids on a school night
• take you mate out for lunch
• buy a new sweater in a rich fall color
• read a book by an author that you haven’t read before.

As for me, it is such a beautiful afternoon here in Alberta, I think I will stop writing and take my dogs out for an unscheduled walk.

Print this page    Recommend this page