Agents Of Change

I began the day thinking I might not be working. But TV being what it is sometimes, by lunchtime, I was sitting in my edit chair, churning out news elements even faster than usual (after all, we were already and hour or two behind). And then my work day ended with extensive fixes (for re-air) of a show that had gone, well, not so well, when it was shot. A day that began with an assumption of time at home ended with more time than normal at work. Let's face it, whether you work in television or not, things change.
 
There are days when I feel that nothing really defines my life as much as change. While the last few years have certainly put me on a roller coaster of job change, it is not just work that has changed. Each day, as we learn the rules and patterns of our current situations, we are faced with change that will force us to re-learn and adjust. Whether it's our kids getting older or changing schools, or our living situation shifting slightly, or not so slightly, we deal with change pretty much every day. How we handle our jobs or parenting our children may seem to run our lives, but how we manage change is what really defines us. Do we let change stop us in our tracks--render us powerless to take the next steps? Or do we face change as the adventure it can become? Do we complain about change, because it leaves us unsteady? Or do we embrace it, because it teaches us new skill sets and new strengths?
 
Today was just one of many days that became very different than what I'd expected--life'll do that to you. We can't control that--we don't have the power. But when we control how we react to change, we become very powerful--able to fix, and learn, and even grow a little along the way. Whatever life is now, it's likely to change. We can all become agents of change (or at least managers of it). It's simply a question of believing in our ability to handle it when things change. And knowing that managing change will make us that much more ready for whatever the next steps in life will be.