Spare change

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“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
— Alphonse Karr

“Nothing endures but change.”
— Heraclitus

When I started at the newspaper nearly 10 years ago, it was in the midst of a huge change. No big deal for me, since I was coming in at the tail end.

But for those who had been around awhile, they were dizzy with the adjustment of becoming an afternoon paper after decades as a morning edition. Anyone who can make the leap from paradigm to paradigm can survive anything.

Those who can’t are toast.

fallleaves.jpgOne of my housemates back in college hated change. She knew each semester would shuffle around activities, classes and people with which she had grown comfortable.

To her detriment, the harder she tried to hold on to whatever was good or stable, the faster she lost it.

It’s weird. I’m not a big fan of change. I like stability, almost to the point of boring. The same people, the same job, the same address, the same car, the same routine. For years and years, my lunch was a sandwich, some chips, a salad, cookies and a can of soda. I did eventually burn out on that, but wow, talk about staying the course.

Drama wears me out.

In some ways, my resistance to change has been my downfall, whether in my work life or my personal life. I learned to be more flexible.

But in other ways, I’ve usually been able to handle whatever changes come along without much fuss. Such is the paradox of Wade.

Several (very bored) scientists have speculated that the high average stability of my life allows me to deal with changes on a bigger scale. God has said that the toughest tests of faith are bestowed upon those best able to handle them.

I say that change is good, separating the men from the tiny feeble cootie-ridden girls. I also say change is inevitable, unless you’re prepared to hide in a cave.

I’m in it for the long haul. And I’m not hiding out.

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