by Mark Stash
Although the lyrics of David Bowie’s song “Changes” may not exactly reflect what I’m thinking about now, the title and also the introspective time of year that is winter in the Finger Lakes has inspired me to reflect on some personal changes.
When you meet new people who come into your life, it’s interesting to reflect on how they affect you and what kind of impact they have. I think that communing with the people who are important to you – your family, friends and acquaintances – can lead to a fuller and well-lived life. And, meeting new people can be the “spice of life” that may have an unforeseen influence. We can all get into a mode of thinking and acting that may be detrimental to ourselves at times, and new people that we grow to care about can really bring about positive change and a new attitude. What we may have thought we could never overcome or change, can suddenly be made possible and becomes a positive reality.
On another note, I have always tried to live a healthy lifestyle, and yet over time I have found that I succumb to the pleasures of food and drink. If that continues over time, it can have a huge negative impact on my health. I recently got a wakeup call regarding my health, and therefore I am taking some serious steps to change how I nourish myself. I made an appointment with a nutritionist – I have tried all kinds of eating plans from A-Z – and now I have a plan from a professional that really understands what I need to do to live a healthy lifestyle. I can tell you that I’m still on the path to good health, and there are times where I falter and have doubt and negative thoughts, but having a person whom I answer to on a weekly basis, and having friends and family who support me, is giving me the necessary tools to make these positive and permanent changes for my health.
I’m sure many of you can relate to what I just spoke about. We’re never “done” with making changes. It’s a continuous journey. But as someone once said, most of the fun is in the journey, not always just the destination.
