My mom would be proud of me should she discover that I remember and live by one of her favourite sayings. Whenever she would conduct a spring cleaning she would coax me into helping her by insisting that “change is as good as a holiday!” Many years after those mandatory spring cleanings I am realising just how true this adage is. It’s so easy to become stuck in a rut and not always possible to pack your bags and head off into the sunset. Very often our only form of escape is making a change.

I know of people who translate change as grabbing scissors and trying a new hairstyle. Less drastic may be opting for retail therapy and a new wardrobe to boot. My favourites include launching into a deco frenzy or simply putting new flowers on display. When I feel really adventurous though, I dive headlong into a redefinition of myself – who I am, what I do, where I live.

But wait, how easy can it be to change who you are? Is it even possible? I mean you can’t change your birth date, your place of birth or your DNA. But how much of that actually constitutes who you are? I’m not sure when and if I’ll be able to answer these questions. So for now, let’s just stick to changing parts of who I am – what I like, what I think and how I see. Tweaking these can bring about a whole new state of being. Shedding the old and embracing the new.

Embracing change is like embracing the rhythm of nature. With every season’s change nature dons new garb. And I’m determined to follow suit. So, this is an invitation to journey with me through seasons of shedding and going on holiday as a matter of course!

A(lexa) N(icole) A(nthonie)