WQ #13: March 29: CHANGE/WRITER’S CHOICE/DOUBLE DIP CHALLENGES
For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
-Steve Jobs
Change Happens
Happy Wednesday and welcome to #WQ. Change happens whether we embrace it or not. I feel a little guilty about my title. It sounds like a command. Some changes mean we can barely get out of bed to survive the change. What changes have you been through recently? Are they for better or worse? What would you like to share about how you have dealt with the changes in your life?
Follow where your quotes lead you and embrace the changes in your life and those around you.
Last Week’s Featured Vivid Spring Bloggers Below
- KEEP IT ALIVE – GARDENS FLOURISH IN SPRING
- LADY LEE – WONDERFUL WEATHER, FABULOUS MEMORIES
- LOVING LIFE – TULIPS, TULIPS, TULIPS!
- PICTURES IMPERFECT – DANDELIONS THE PROMISE OF SPRING
- SECOND WIND LEISURE – WOULDN’T YOU RATHER BE…?
- SECOND WIND LEISURE – CUTE AND CUDDLY PEEKS OR SHARP PEAKS
- THE INKWELL – DANDELIONS TEACH US TO RISE UP AND FLOURISH IN SPITE OF OBSTACLES
- THIS IS ANOTHER STORY – WILL THERE BE BROCCOLI OR NO BROCCOLI?
For More on Changes, Writer’s Choice or …
Your post link goes here.
- EAT, PLAY, LIVE – JULIE’S GRIEVANCES FROM HER HUSBAND
- KEEP IT ALIVE – “NATURE LIKE LIFE” CHANGES
- LADY LEE – “If you change, you’re still you.”
- LOVING LIFE – AWAKEN YOUR PASSION AND CREATIVITY
- PICTURES IMPERFECT – PHOTOGRAPHERS BEWARE!
- SECOND WIND LEISURE – AWAKENING
- THIS IS ANOTHER STORY – WET AND COLD RECORDS IN UTAH
- WHERE STORIES CAN SPARK THEIR MAGIC – FOR A CHANGE – LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.
- WIND KISSES – PEEKS INTO SPECTACULAR SEDONA
Don’t forget to use Hashtag #WQ even now that links are working.
Embracing Change Means:
Energy user Movement Bear up Reality sets in, Responsibility Awareness Choices to make Eternal Evolution Challenges to face Hard Acceptance Natural course of life Gaining experiences Expanded viewpoints © Marsha Ingrao 2023 Change Acrostic
Remodel Inside
“Moving doesn’t change who you are. It only changes the view outside your window.”
— Rachel Hollis
Vince and I have spent the last two years moving, and the 20 years before that changing where we lived into our Bella Vista. I think we are back to changing our home into our Bella something or other. We can’t change the view outside, but we are working on the view inside.
Step One: Recognize the Problem
When we first moved into our former rental, the first thing both of us did was bump our heads on the corner of the cabinet. Cindy, Vince’s sister never had a problem because she is shorter than the bottom of the cabinet.
“These have got to go!” Vince proclaimed as he stuck blue tape on the cabinets to protect our heads.
Step Two: Formulate a Plan
This is Vince’s favorite part. I wish he would let me take pictures of him in his striped robe with his Einstein hair sticking out in all directions standing in the kitchen at 4:00 am staring at the cabinets. We will celebrate our 28th anniversary this June, so I know that he is not wasting time. He is planning and replanning. He’s moved the refrigerator twice in his head. The microwave has moved more than that. The colors of the cabinets have wavered between dark and light gray to dirty brown. I vetoed the dirty brown.
Step Three: Carry Out the Plans Making Changes Along the Way
“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy.”
— C. JoyBell C.
On Friday, we got the microwave out with the help of friends, and today the new stove hood that will fit into the soffit was delivered. Having these cabinets out will open up the space immensely in this small condo. Monday morning the installer changed his plans to measure our space and came at 9:00 am instead of 4:00 pm. Our cabinets will take about 9-10 weeks to arrive.
On Saturday, I woke up and poured cold chocolate protein drink into my lukewarm coffee. Vince makes it when he gets up at 4:30 am. I forgot that we didn’t have a microwave. I had to change my normal routine and heat my coffee in a pan on the stove which took me back to my childhood before there were microwaves. (Yes, I’m that old!)
“We can’t live without a microwave,” I told Vince after I had said no to buying an inexpensive microwave to tide us over. That afternoon Cindy and I went to Walmart to buy both of us cheap microwaves. Mine cost $70 and hers cost $60.90. I was shocked. The microwave we planned to put in the new cabinets would be built in drawer that closed itself and turned on and would cost over $1,000.
“We don’t really need to spend that much money for a microwave, do we?” one of us said. Sometimes we think so much alike that I forget who said what.
“Let’s just keep that microwave and have a shelf in the cabinet,” the planner (Vince) said.
According to the designer, putting the microwave in the cabinet would have cost $600, with a surround included with a more expensive microwave. The installer said we could set the microwave on a shelf, and it would barely stick out. So we changed the plans.
Demo Day
Plans Change with the Weather
Our homes in the Tanglewood Hills subdivision were built in or near 1985 – all 110 of them. Rooves last 20-40 years on average. Some of them, including ours have started to leak. Our neighbor, my walking partner has waited since July for this glorious day for the roofers to replace her roof. We are due to have our roof replaced in two weeks. Home ownership can change your plans! Insurance policies can change how much money you have to spend.
New Experiences Change You
After blogging for nearly five years, I traveled alone to Australia to meet Leanne Cole and Carol, the Eternal Traveller, my blogging friends. What I learned and experienced there, changed my life in more ways than I can mention in a short blog post. I’ll share more about that in future posts.
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
— Lao Tzu
Tragic Changes
“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.”
–Steve Maraboli
Each week I try to link my WQ post or write a new post to Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share. She had done an amazing job of creating a community of caring people. I missed a couple of weeks of reading posts during our move, Cindy’s move, and loss of Puppy Girl. One of the people I care about is Julie from Eat, Play, Live. I read the lines of her blog in a blur.
“I am back at work but I am remote. I am grateful my work has two weeks of bereavement leave. I did not want to exhaust my bereavement leave all at once because the funeral was going to happen in three weeks.”
“This can’t be right, I thought. Who did she lose? It can’t be her husband. She’s barely 30, if that.” I went back to read the Coffee Share posts I’d missed.
“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
— John Maxwell
“I have completed one week of widowhood,” Julie had written the week before.
My heart broke. Julie has a little girl, and it seemed that they were all just getting on their feet moving through life at a normal pace. As I wrote this blog post, I wondered, “How I can change to make my blog and blogging itself to make the experience more meaningful and help my fellow bloggers?” I feel so helpless. Maybe you have some suggestions.
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
— William Arthur Ward
Tragic Accident
Julie readjusts her sails. She has so much to do. The heart that lives inside her pales. So soon the cold winds blew. She has so much to do. Appointments, meetings, dealing with stuff So soon the cold winds blew. Allowed to cry when the going is rough. Appointments, meetings, dealing with stuff Validated feelings when grief prevails, Allowed to cry when the going is rough. Julie readjusts her sails. ©Marsha Ingrao 2023 The pantoum is a poem of any length, composed of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of each stanza serve as the first and third lines of the next stanza. The last line of a pantoum is often the same as the first.
March Changes in Prescott, AZ
Bushboy and Ju-Lyn offer us a chance to share changes in the season and March has been a great example of how quickly the weather can change.
Colleen Chesebro invites us to write a poem about the view outside out window. Both of these were taken outside our home, but there was no window involved.
©Marsha Ingrao 2023 shahai
WQ #13 Inspired by
- Lens Artist Photo Challenge – New Experiences
- FOTD
- Tanka Tuesday #313 Out of Your Window
- W3 Prompt #47 – Pantoum
- Sunday Stills – Peek
- Cell Pic Sunday – Accident on Dash Cam
- Changing Seasons Touring My Backyard, Bushboy’s World
- Last on Card – Last picture taken in March.
Upcoming and Ongoing on Always Write
- WQ Page
- WQ #14: April 5: ON BREAK TRAVELING EASTER/AWAKENING/RENEWAL/WHITE & PASTELS
- WQ #15: April 12: BE A TOUR GUIDE WHERE YOU LOVE
- WQ #16: April 19: EARTH/NATIONAL GARDENING DAY
- WQ #17: April 26: ABSTRACT/WRITER’S CHOICE/DOUBLE DIP CHALLENGES
- #DICKENSCHALLENGE started February 7th. Join Yvette Prior, Trent McDonald, and me in reading ONE – not THREE Dickens’ novellas by June 9th. Donna from Retirement Reflections posted an excellent review on her challenge, What’s On Your Bookshelf this month.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
73 responses to “#WQ #13: Embrace the Change”
Hi Marsha
How apt that I chose to read your blog today. I haven’t been on my blog much just reading a few here and there certainly not doing any posting of my own.
My dad just passed away and I’m here helping my mum adjust to a new life without him. She has dementia and has to go in a home. I feel so sad for her. Such a big change.
So I may be inspired to put pen to paper.
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I’m so sorry, Ali. It is so hard to loose our folks. To make it worse your mom has dementia. That’s a huge change, too.
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Thanks Marsha
I can’t see me blogging anytime soon, hopefully I will get back into it 🙂
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I’m so sorry. Sometimes we just need a break!
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prayers for Julie and wow – that must have made your heart sink to come back and see what she shared – being a widow – and your poem for her was beautiful.
Side note, when I first got active in blogging (and you know a little of my story – how I had other online sites and came here to post for the folks at church – lol)
anyhow, once I got past that initial goal and I began meeting people and began having fun – I met Andrea, from Andrea Remembers (on blogger) and guess what? She started her blog a few weeks before her husband unexpectedly died in a work accident. I guess originally she was just going to keep a blog as a life journal and it became a bit of a healing during early widowhood blog. We even met up in Buffalo and I gave her a little box that had her name on it. We lost touch – but that came to mind when i read of Julie.
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That is so sweet, Yvette. Blogging does so much in our lives, doesn’t it? That could be another complete chapter!
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🙂
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Great post Marsha with awesome updates. I was heartbroken to hear of Julies husbands passing. Life is short and a reminder to not take a day for granted. I’m double dipping since I didn’t get a post out on Wednesday. I chose quotes around our sunday stills post and incorporated them both together. I feel you on the remodel. It’s sure a journey. If you come to my house you won’t find a microwave. Ours died about 8+ years ago and we decided not to replace it. it took some adjusting but now we’re all used to it.
https://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2023/04/taking-in-life-around.html
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Wow, no microwave? You are brave. 🙂
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[…] https://alwayswrite.blog/2023/03/29/wq-13-embrace-the-change/ […]
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Thanks for joining, Rockstar Girl. 🙂
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Hi Marsha,
Here’s mine
http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/04/02/wq-13-march-29-change-writers-choice/
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[…] Marsha’s WQ: Change […]
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Love your post. Your pictures improve each week! 🙂
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Thanks for adding in The Changing Seasons Marsha 🤗
I am, after flicking through again, wishing you had a photo of Vince in the kitchen planning 😁
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He would kill me. LOL
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[…] Marsha from Always Write wrote a poem. It’s really nice. Since she’s also widowed from her […]
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You are so eloquent, Julie. I keep you in my prayers.
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A beautiful post Marsha and not harsh at all. Even when I don’t want to embrace change it shows up. we have a choice and sometimes I must say I don’t do it seamlessly and those begrudging feelings show up.
I came home to no power. I told my husband we better call a cleaner because I’d been gone for so long and dirt must be everywhere.. he said “no, it’s good around here”.. the next day I got out the cleaning supplies and mom as it was filthy.. ha. Then my dad had to move in with no power a couple of days. Let’s just say I was still trying to get back so I was NOT my chipper self.
I’m sooo sorry about Julie and I love all of you poetry my friend.
We just started Phase 3 of the remodel.. on the home stretch and then on to embracing the next change or not.. either way they happen.. xo 💗
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Embracing has it’s downsides, too. Read Marilyn’s comment. I can’t find fault in it. I’ve always been one to face challenges head on, but maybe embrace is a bit too strong! 🙂 Good luck with your remodel. We remodeled our house in CA more than once and tore down every wall, inside and out, though not at the same time so that the house didn’t fall in. This time we are stopping with cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms – mostly. Yay. Hubby will be 77 on his next birthday, and has slowed down a little bit in his remodeling zeal – not much, but it’s a bit of a relief. He just got back from Scottsdale where he put finishing touches on some remodeling of that condo. Like I said, he’s slowed down some. 🙂
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My structured personality doesn’t like change but it is necessary for us to grow. I like change on my own terms I suppose, especially when things change for the better or for efficiency. Nice job getting those cabinets adjusted. This post hits a lot of great points and works well with my Sunday Stills post “awaken,” since I’m sharing our version of spring as the landscape slowly changes with the awakening of flowers and wildlife. Busy, busy today and tomorrow! Talk soon!
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Be safe as you travel! I can’t wait to see pictures. 🙂
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Got some good ones so far!
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Yay!
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[…] week’s Wednesday Quotes is all about embracing […]
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A great response to the challenge, Marsha. Sad too, but much true.
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Thanks, Leya. Normally I enjoy new experiences, but in Julie’s case, I would not.
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Marsha, that is a gorgeous and heartrending pantoum. I have tears in my eyes… How terrible.
❤
David
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I cried when I read her posts. She is such a lovely person and I have adored her since she started participating in one of my challenges. She is in my prayers. I wish I could do more.
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What an inspiring post Marsha, this is definitely a year of changing. So many things going on in my life at the moment that I am not getting to blog as much as I want to. Let alone reading blogs.
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I know that feeling, Aletta. I am the same way. That’s why I cut back to just one blog post per week. It’s hard to restrict myself to that, and I don’t get as many read as I want, but you have to regulate your blogging to what you (and your family) can handle, or you end up quitting altogether. I don’t want to do that and I know you don’t either. We just have to be understanding of each other – just like real life, LOL. 🙂
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I know! Difficult to adjust. Will have to work out a way. 🙄💕
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Definitely, we will work out a way!
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I am sure we will 😊
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Oh wow thank you for the poem! “Readjusting my sails” is a good way to describe this point in my life. I”m not only just occupied with closing things for my husband, but just thinking about what to do for the next two years and the rest of our lives. Also, I am more than 30, I’m 35 — that’s still young too.
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Julie, my heart goes out to you and your child and the rest of your family 💔
Sincerely yours,
David
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Thank you for your kind words, Ben. Take care, Julie.
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Yes, it is very young. My heart is so broken for you. Several close friends of mine in our church are praying with me for you and Lana. I can tell that you feel that extra dose of strength. It doesn’t take away the heartbreak, sadness, and all the other emotions that are going on in your body, nor should it. God is probably crying right now, too. You are very loved. Again, let me know if there is anything I can do.
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Thank you for the love and prayers, Marsha!
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Always, Julie. Take care. virtual hugs
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Without getting complicated, change happens. Embrace, run screaming and it will catch you anyway. Change happens. It may happen too fast or too slow for some or all of us. To use a popular cliche, you can run, but you can’t hide. I’m not sure whether you embrace it or not makes the slightest difference in the long run.
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How true, Marilyn. Change will happen whether we embrace it or not. I think our attitude about change makes a big difference in our lives, though. You and I have successfully weathered many changes, and maybe embrace was the wrong verb, but a healthy attitude and strength that develops helps us get through changes successfully.
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I think not resisting change makes life easier, but that isn’t the same as embracing it. Fighting change when you have no power is a waste of energy and at our age, we don’t have energy to waste. I don’t have to agree with it. There is a monumental amount of change going on in our society and too much of it is hateful and ugly. It’s hard for me to even IMAGINE embracing it.
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You have a good point. It is too much for me to embrace. There is so much to write about change.
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love all your changes, Marsha 🙂
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/to-improve-is-to-change/
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Many rich treasures in this post, LL. 🙂
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[…] Sunday Stills, Marsha-WQ, The Changing Seasons: Bushboy, Julyn, Denzil […]
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Stunning, serendipitous, stupendous Sedona! Your shots of it are out of this world gorgeous, Donna! Can’t wait to see you. 🙂
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It’s funny how some change we ask for and some we shy away from
I’m especially saddened by the news from Julie’s life. It’s always a reminder that life is short so enjoy every day
That’s exactly what I would have done with the microwave…why spend the extra money if you don’t need to! It’s better spent on our health I always think.
Xoxo
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
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There are so many ways to spend money. I come from a family which has always enjoyed gadgets, and they are tempting. But you are right, and health is much more important. When someone is blessed with good health, they sometimes forget to invest in it. But regular health care is important – from exercise and good food to regular dental check-ups to keep our beautiful smiles! 🙂
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How rough is that for Julie? Not a change to embrace, bless her.
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Hi Jo, death of a spouse, parent, child is a change we all dread, probably. I think she is embracing it or at least facing it head on. She has so much to do and has a beautiful little girl to consider. Thanks for your lovely comment, Jo.
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I hadn’t realised how young she is! Here I am, coming up 75, and still dodging blows… and change 🙄💕
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I know, I lost my first husband at 47, the day before my 43rd bd. But he had been very sick since about age 19. So I had to face the same business stuff that she is doing, and it was hard, but not the shock that she had. 🙂
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I’m sure you know Becky, who ran the Squares challenges. She’s had such a hard time coming to terms with Roberts’ sudden death and then probate and a house jammed full of antique books. Life can be cruel darlin 💔
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Yes, I do know that. I am very sad about Becky B. She is another sweetie. She tried to do one more Square, but it must have been very hard. I haven’t seen any more coming up. Sudden deaths are especially hard to accept. It’s not the same level, but that’s what happened with Puppy Girl. She was healthy and happy one day, and having seizures the next.
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🤗💗
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I look in the mirror most mornings and wonder who is that old bloke 😂
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HAHA, I wonder that, too, but I guess I’m a blokette. A shelia?
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I’d go with woman now-a-days
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Ok then. I kinda liked blokette, but times are a changin’.
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Embracing change is a healthy! I work at it every day. 🙂
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Awesome, Jennifer. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
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I like that Maxwell quote: “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
Change has to been as opportunity AND treated as such.
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It is a good one, and like Julie, they are not always good changes, but they all have possibilities. Have you read the story of Kathryn Johnson? She had a remarkable ability to adapt to changes and hardships and come out a success.
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I can’t say I did. The titles suggest an inclination to real life stories (except for the Tempest one) which are normally not my kind of read.
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Hers is definitely real life.
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[…] Wednesday Quotes: Change […]
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What an interesting concept! Taking pictures changes us! Great topic for a chapter in a book!
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This is an incredible post Marsha great response to my challenge. Moving is certainly a new experience that we’ve done many times. I remember driving across the country in 1965 when my husband was briefly stationed at Fort Monmouth NJ. We left with just 2 plates, silverware, glasses, etc. That whole time was a new experience. He was soon sent to Vietnam. More changes. Life is like that. The changes have never stopped.
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That is so true. We stayed put for 20 years, but changes happened all the time – remodeling, developing our property, and the acres across the street. Tons of changes. I’m so happy to know we have a Leanne Cole connection! Isn’t that fun?
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Yes, it’s is! Since I posted, there are a few more with a Leanne connection!
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That’s fun. She has so many followers, it’s not surprising. When we are together, it feels like we are the only ones. 🙂 She’s really good at that.
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