Subject to change

There is nothing permanent except change.

- Heraclitus -

---

---

Everything changes they say. What is, isn't what it was, and it's not what it will be...It's the way of things.

Nothing demonstrates this more than the path a human life takes, my own included. When I think back to my childhood, youth, early adulthood and into my middle years...and compare it to who and what I am now the change is abundantly clear. I embrace change though; it means growth and development, an opportunity to design and create things just a little better, more interestingly, relevantly and more enjoyably. That's how I see it.

But some change annoys me

About a week ago I booked flights for a holiday. It's just a domestic one, a place here in Australia about 4,000 kilometres from where I live, up in the tropical north of the country. I used some flight credits I had from a covid-cancelled trip back in 2020 and this trip in April will be my first flights and holiday since October 2019. As someone who usually travels a lot, that's a long time between flights.

I booked my flights, which felt a little odd due to being out of practice, received my email and the flights updated in my frequent flyer app right away. It was quite exciting, satisfying too but...there was a little niggle at the back of my mind, a little something that seemed to say, don't get too excited, it can all come crashing down.

Back of my mind niggles have kept me alive at times, intuition, but in this case it was unwelcome and I blocked it out...knowing it was a futile attempt because everything is subject to change.

Last night I got an email and...yes, you guessed it...my flights were changed.

I reviewed the changes which amounted to very little. I'd arrive and depart on the same days I initially selected although I'd have a four and a half hour stop over in Melbourne on the way out arriving later than I'd wanted and on the way back would arrive a little later also. It wasn't so bad and I sort of expected something like this.

I clicked on the accept change button and within moments the app had updated with my new details and the new E-tickets were emailed. I was good to go once more.

Acceptance

This is the sort of change that annoys me. I guess it's probably because I put so much energy into, and emphasis on, travelling and this trip in particular. It means travelling again after a long time and seeing some family I have not seen in a long while. There's a lot riding on it and I'm kind of nervous that it's at risk due to the ongoing idiocy around the pandemic situation.

I have to take what comes though and have conditioned myself to accept the fact that I'm at the mercy of others; that the trip is in constant peril of not happening.

At the same time I know it has every chance of happening and that's what I'm focusing on. I'm really looking forward to it and when I opened the app and saw the words, check in opens in 55 days my excitement levels increased a little more with anticipation.

Change is inevitable and whilst it is something each of us can affect for ourselves, much is outside of our control, like my flights. We're subject to change, as is the planet and all things upon it, though and we can only learn to accept it, work with or around it and continue the best we can. But is is too much to ask for my flights not to change? Just this once.