Since my cancer diagnosis I’ve gone to both extremes.......
If I’m with someone I trust, particularly my husband, I’m more up for unplanned road trips or a last minute decision to go for a walk when I’m usually going to bed. Nothing madly exciting, but just a slight movement away from our norms.
On the flip side, plan changes can throw me off a bit and cause me some anxiety. Thankfully I’ve reached the stage where I can generally rationalise things in my mind, or through chatting it through with hubby or a friend. It doesn’t take me too long to accept and move with the change.......
Which is just as well because, as we all know, change is the only constant in life! 2020 has certainly been a prime example of that. An inability to see the bright side would have sunk anyone this year, so I’ve worked hard, like so many of us have, to see the silver lining....
I’ve been working from home since March. It can feel isolating and I miss the chats and laughs with colleagues. I hate dial-in meetings because they’re so impersonal. But I’ve been very productive working without distractions at home. I’ve lost a tiny bit of weight without the temptation of a canteen and nearby cafes. I go for a quick walk with our dog every lunchtime. Overall, a healthier way to work I’d suggest.
Our planned gigs have all been moved to next year so there’s been no live music. I miss the buzz that live music gives and have been particularly disappointed by our need to keep changing the date our annual charity gig in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. It was originally scheduled for May 2020......then September........then February 2021. Now we’ve agreed that date won’t happen either. Northern Ireland is getting ready to go back into another lockdown that will only end in February. It’s too soon to plan a social gathering. It’d be disrespectful to Covid patients and also to the cancer patients the fundraiser is held to support. So we’ve put it on hold, with a new date to be decided when we see how things go. This ‘greyness’ doesn’t sit well with me. I like things ‘sorted’, make a decision, get ‘er done!! But life doesn’t work like that.
Our rainbow has been the day trips and local adventures we’ve had time to enjoy this year. Something we plan to continue doing from now on.
Today I had another unexpected change of plans, but one that has caused limited anxiety. I’m telling the story because it may resonate with others who find changes of plan can knock them off.... or it may help you understand that ‘slightly odd’ friend or family member who reacts badly to plan changes!
Today my pal and I had planned our weekly sea dip. As our last one before Christmas, we arrived equipped with Christmas gifts and Santa hats. We were both really looking forward to our dip, as we always do. Unfortunately we didn’t properly research the tide times.... unusual for us to make such a schoolchild error! We arrived to high tide and decided it just wasn’t safe to get in. We checked three different beaches but the verdict was the same each time. But of course time and tide wait for no-one so we’re regrouping later on. A very simple example of how change can be slightly inconvenient but not insurmountable.
We will have our Santa Splash, just later in the day. Christmas will go ahead, even if it’s quieter. The Covid situation will eventually calm down and we’ll be able to socialise like we used to. Our Macmillan gig will go ahead, so what if it’s a year or two later than originally planned?
Aborted missions simply lead to new plans. No need to worry xxx
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