Changes: Around, Within, and Throughout

Over the weekend, I went for a long walk along the coast with some friends. We are currently in the middle of winter here and walking along the cloudy, chilly coast made me realize that I have lived in Chile long enough to watch the seasons change from the middle of summer to the middle of winter. Changes are inevitable in life. Some changes we plan for and others surprise us. Some changes are more challenging and others are subtler.

In many ways, my time leading up to and living in Chile is part of a larger season of change in my life. However in the last few weeks, I have been more aware of the changes in my life. When I pause for long enough, I suddenly become more conscious of the changes happening all around me in many moments. Some of them are more obvious changes, for example: finishing my first semester in Chile, saying goodbye to a roommate and friend, sharing new experiences, etc. And other changes become apparent to me only after siphoning through my everyday experiences and recognizing changes around and within me, for example: realizing my Spanish is improving, letting go of some of my preconceived notions, following through on different dreams, etc.

My walk along the coast reminded me that some changes are like the tides and the seasons, they come and go without seeking my consent or bending to my will. And other changes are like the walk itself, they are changes that exist within my agency and are influenced by actions.

Moving to Chile was a huge change in my life and my time here has forced to reevaluate changes I would like to make in my life and to embrace how to live in a world that is constantly changing all around me. I am learning to see continually changes around me, within me, and throughout my life.

The coast this weekend-