It’s the second Monday of the month, so that means it’s time for a new Ripples in the Inkwell (#inkripples) post. Kai Strand’s post can be found here, and Mary Waibel’s can be found here. May brings more flowers, buds turning to leaves on the trees, and warmer weather. The winter jackets are packed away and t-shirts are coming out. May is all about change, and that’s our topic of the month.
The change in weather is welcome, particularly after this very long winter. But change is hard. I see how my 3-1/2 year old son, The Boy, is still having a hard time with all the changes that have gone on in his life in the past year. Even though his younger brother, The Prince, is almost a year old, the adjustment period isn’t over. The resentment lingers, evident when The Boy says, “Mommy, I want you to take care of only me. Daddy can take care of [The Prince].”
The Boy started preschool last November, another big change, especially after being home with me all day for the last two years. He seems so old to me in many ways, but I have to remember how young he really is. It wasn’t too long ago he was still sleeping in the crib. Now he’s in a big boy bed in a new, bigger room. The early years of life bring on so many changes.
But even as an adult, I find change hard, harder still than when I was in my teens and twenties. I like my routine, even if every day the routine isn’t the same. I write best sitting at my laptop, sipping my tea. It’s important for productivity not to be tied to that, though. I can’t always be at my laptop, I don’t always have quiet time to work, I don’t always have time to work period. If I’m ever going to finish my WIP, I need to allow myself the flexibility to squeeze in the work when I can.
Change is also good for the creative soul. It pushes my brain into new realms and I see the world in a new light. I so desperately needed to get away the other weekend for the New England SCBWI writing conference. With little ones, it’s been hard for me to be away from them. My job as mom is 24-7. I needed that change, the time to be a writer and not a mom for a little while. I hated leaving my babies, but it was important for me to do just that.
I guess no matter if we’re 3 or 33 or 133, it will be desirable to avoid change. It’s easier to keep to the routine, maintain the status quo. But lack of change also means lack of growth, so I’m willing to step out of my comfort zone and grow as a person as a result.
Want to join in on the conversation on change? Or next month’s theme of summer/vacation? It’s easy to participate in Ripples in the Inkwell.
Ripples in the Inkwell #inkripples is a new monthly meme created by Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll. We’ll be posting on the second Monday of every month with a new topic. We’re all authors, but you don’t have to be to participate. Simply compose your post using the monthly theme, grab one of the images, and link back to the three of us. Make sure to use #inkripples when you play along and promote your posts. The idea is that we toss a word, idea, or image into the inkwell and each post is a new ripple. There’s no wrong way to do it! Full details can be found on my post “Introducing Ripples in the Inkwell.”
I handle change really well, often crave it or thrive on it – unless it is relentless. I need some breathing room if too much hits at the same time. Otherwise I become short tempered. I agree, change is good for the creative soul. Give us a new point of view on an old story.
Before I had kids, I thrived on change too. Often I didn’t even think of it as change, just life! Now, though, I have a much harder time with it. Maybe once the kiddos are older, I’ll feel less anxiety about change.
Like adults, kids show very early if they are the type to have a hard time with changes. My oldest was, and still is at twenty one. My youngest wasn’t, and she keeps to type at eighteen. Respect the way they are and don’t be shocked if The Prince is different in this respect from The Boy.
Yes, we saw very early on that The Boy was not one to take change lightly. So far The Prince is proving to be more easy-going; I think he has to be being the second child. 🙂
I like to think I’m pretty good with change, as long as I can figure out how to juggle it into my current mess of a calendar 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing this Katie and for joining in on this new blog meme!
Happy to be a part of it, Mary! And, yes, it is definitely a challenge to juggle any changes coming along with an already busy schedule.
I love change. My husband, not so much. Our son is right in the middle. Usually hesitates, but then enjoys trying something new. He’s much more decisive than either of his parents, as well 🙂
Thanks for stopping in, Lindsey! My husband doesn’t like change at all. I think it’s rubbing off on me the longer we are together. And my older son definitely takes after him. The baby is pretty easy going, so we’ll have to see if he stays that way.
I have to admit that I love my routine. Mixing it up a bit is fine, but I’m happy with day to day sameness. But there are big changes on the horizon here and I know I have to face them, but it certainly doesn’t make it any easier! 🙂
I saw that you have some big changes coming, Meradeth! Good luck with everything. 🙂