The collection of three photos that accompany this writing are quite special to me. In these pictures I'm holding my two youngest stepdaughters -- who are now ages 13 and 16. It's amazing how much they have grown over the past four years. We first met in 2015 when they were only 7 and 10 years of age. It has been such a blessing to be in their lives for the past six years, and an even greater blessing to be their step-dad for the past three years!
All three photos were actually taken in the same exact location. What started out to be the edge of a cornfield is now where businesses stand (a restaurant is in the background of the 2021 photo). The girls have changed, the surroundings have changed, but I still look exactly the same! Ha! Of course, that's not true. I'm now 56 years of age, but still able to lift each of them onto an arm.
One thing that I've learned in life is that change is inevitable. When change occurs, we can either embrace it or try to convince ourselves that it's not happening. Some ignore it, deny it, regret it, suppress it, and fight it. No matter the approach you take when it comes to change, eventually the reality of it settles in and you find that you truly have no choice but to accept it. Change is constantly occurring, sort of like the seconds ticking by on a clock. You don't realize that an hour has gone by until you look at the clock and see that all of those little 'ticks' of the second hand have added up. That's sort of what life is like. Each day there are subtle changes happening in and around our lives. Changes in relationships, health, finances, work, appearance, society, nature, and more are constantly occurring. As I've aged, change has become something that I've more readily embraced.
I look at the three photos with my stepdaughters and definitely see change. However, what I also see is a bond that has grown over the years as a result of not just letting the clock tick by without making the most of that time. I've acquired six years of wonderful memories with these young ladies. In just two years the eldest one will be off to college, and the youngest will be in her high school years. I'm very aware of the time that is left with them at home, and I'm definitely going to make the most of that precious time.
Socrates is quoted as saying, "The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." For over 2,400 years those have been good words to ponder!
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
