I’m Always Looking for a Change

Well, am I, really?

Welcome to the dog days of summer . . .

I often heard this as a child, but what does it mean? Our canine friends might consider it a compliment, an insult, or something more devious. What else could I do but go on a hunt? I searched. Wikipedia answwered:

The dog days, or dog days of summer, are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius, which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

That certainly describes Texas in August, and much of the Northern Hemisphere this year. Natural disasters torment others with never-ending downpours, devastating storms, and earthquakes that shake what normalcy we have left.

Still, like the bluebirds, wrens, and house finches, I am wishing for a summer shower or two. The trees and grass become more parched and brown every day, sucking all the color from the marigolds and zinnias. While the heat seems endless, these dog days will leave, and the weather and seasons march onward, ever-evolving.

Change occurs all around us every day. We change every day. No matter how tightly we try to hold onto the status quo, it’s like the soap bubbles we blow into the air. They form and float only for a moment; nothing ever really remains the same.

We can build routines that add structure to our day, but our lives flow in constant motion. I’ve always thought of change as an adventure, a new opportunity waiting in the wings.

Sometimes change hurts, and we recoil at the consequences of loss. Only our resilience and grit can push us forward. Change takes on many shapes, like those bubbles floating in the air.

The ancient philosopher Heraclitus left us this somber truth: “Change is the only constant in life.”