The changing of seasons came abruptly last week. I awoke to roosters crowing from the midst of the snowstorm. The scenario reminded me of the past couple of weeks and how life takes its course whether we want it to or not. The changes of weather brought cold wind and made me want to back down. Yet the beauty of the white snow and sound of nature in its purest was just beyond my eyes and ears as if it was brought there as a gift for me.
Our fall projects were moving along swiftly. We have a pile of firewood all split and waiting to provide us warmth. The deer stands are ready to assist in fall harvesting. The children’s outside toys are packed away in the shed and the winter sleds are moved closer to the door. Yet, several fall projects remained uncompleted. The roosters needed to be sold to prevent over-crowdedness in the coop during the winter months. The house could use some winterizing.
Our children were asked which chickens they wanted to get rid of before winter. They were coached to “possibly sell all the large chickens and keep the banties”. It really didn’t take much convincing. Then my 5-year old son said “We should sell the one that walks funny.” We thought he meant the handicapped chicken.
When this chicken was hatched she must have had nerve problems because she could never walk. When it moved she would simply flap her wings. We raised her with all the other chickens and watched her grow throughout the summer. When I asked my son if he meant the handicapped chicken. He replied “No, not that one. Everyday I go see that one and hope that it’s better. I want to keep that one”.
I thought about just how caring of a person he is when my first thought was that he wanted to get rid of her because it’s not a normal chicken. However, he wanted to keep that one because he “hopes” for it everyday. I thought “A lesson learned for me today.”
We walked over to the chicken coop talking about this chicken. We opened the door only to be shocked by the sight. The handicapped chicken had suddenly expired. I was lost for words trying to think of something delicate to say to my son. He picked her up and half smiling said “Well, that’s what its problem was. It was dying”. The beauty in his statement was there to be recognized that changes could be very beneficial despite our first instincts.
These past couple of weeks have been different. Changes have been happening in our household. Changes that have added both a sense of enjoyment yet naturally some concern for our future well-being.
Often our careers encircle themselves so tight with our personal lives that it creates a simultaneous tug when one value overcomes the other. We recently experienced the pressures a career can have on affecting our personal values. In this case, we opted for closure on one career and will be using this time to launch a new career path for Kari. She was fortunate enough to be able to leave her current HR Manager position and search for a new career in education. We expect a long uphill battle and embrace that challenge.
Meanwhile, Kari is still enrolled full time at The University of St. Thomas and earning her Doctrine in Education, Organizational Development. She has been keeping our home fire burning and, to be honest, I have never eaten so many delicious home cooked meals, cookies, and pies!
We are adjusting well. We are adjusting to abrupt change in our professional lives much like we are adjusting to the changing of the seasons. With our course of adjustment we hope to see more happiness and be allowed to see beauty in all forms of change. As if it was brought to us as a gift.
With God’s Peace.
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