A Horse of a Different Color

"A horse is a horse of course of course..." (please tell me that all of you recognize the opening words to the "Mr. Ed" theme from the early-mid-sixties.)  This post is really not about horses or any closely related equines, for that matter; rather, it is about twists of fate and dealing with change. So how, you might ask, does change have anything to do with a reference to an obscure memory for my childhood and specifically about horses?  Well, I'll tell you...I've helped people deal with changes in their lives for years. Professionally, my last job was in human resources. Let me just say, during certain parts of the year, the "career counseling" I did with people was all about dealing with change.

Its funny how we view things differently when we are directly involved. Haime and I moved with Chip and Reece to California from Texas several years ago when Haime accepted a promotion. It was a great decision for us all. The boys (at the time, men now...where the hell did the time go?) met some lifelong friends, Haime was very successful in his position and my career couldn't have been better. Mostly, we made some amazing and lifelong friends ourselves whom we miss everyday. When we told my family that we were moving, my parents were very supportive and never made us feel bad about our decision. Then...

Late last week we learned that Chip and Mallory might be relocating due to a job offer. WOW...suddenly the tables were turned. My first, (and honestly, my only real reaction) was one of pride. I was actually sort of surprised by that. I've written several times about how genuinely proud I am of our kids (whether by birth or marriage) and this felt like an expression of that. Haime and I talked about how often we'd travel to see them (OK, really we talked about seeing Carter), but we also talked about what an opportunity this might be for them. They have decided to stay put and continue working here which is great for us, but I'm also very sure that they will probably leave the area one day to pursue some career advancement. We remain very proud of them and the fact that others see what talent they have; I am also very proud of the fact that we can let them go, to pursue the path that is right for them.

Funny how being on the outside of changes around you, and looking in, is so very different than being more directly involved. You might even call it "a horse of a different color."

TTFN

Lois