the times, they are a-changin'

change | ch ānj| verb
• money given in exchange for the same amount in larger denominations
• the substitution of one thing for another
• a new or refreshingly different experience

So I'm processing, as well as experiencing, the concept of change. First of all, I have been reading God's Politics over the last month and it provokes me to have a new perspective on how faith and politics should (or should not) interact, as well as helping me to evaluate what a positive change would look like in our government's approach to foreign policy. Then there's all the Election 2008 business where I'm greatly encouraged by the fact that there is no certain front runner and it is a more open race than it ever has been in years, possibly decades. "Change" is definitely a buzzword in this election and I really hope that the candidates who use this word will have some action behind it and not just lightly throw it around in a political popularity contest.
I'm also pondering how change can come at you out of nowhere. Like one of my co-workers, who got a phone call at work last week saying she has invasive breast cancer. Bam...your life just changes in an instant. And then there's the kind of change that comes at a slow, snail-like pace where the anticipation can feel like it outweighs the actual change. This would be the case of my younger brother, who for the last year and a half has been planning his semester abroad in Prague and now the day of his departure (today) has finally come.
And as I think about change, I'm also experiencing it as I transition to a new position as a student adviser in my department on campus. I went through different emotions this week as I thought about how I feel unprepared but at the same time very ready to take on this role. The cool thing about the position is that most of the students who decide to major in Design are usually making a significant change from the initial career path they planned on taking because they didn't realize that there was a major that could combine their artistic talents (in graphic, fashion or interior design) with practical skills that will help them be able to get a job. So I will help to equip them in order to make that change a reality which is why I think I'm so interested in the area of advising.
Anyhow, those are my thoughts are the moment. And to wrap this up, I'll end with one of my favorites quotes on the topic:

“Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.”