I grew up hearing the expression “The nature of life is change and the more you fight it, the more it hurts.”

I have always prided myself on being someone who does really well with change.  I went through a long period in college, grad school, and then early in my career when I moved at least once a year— for at least ten years straight. Yes, at times it was a hassle (I’m not the best packer!) but for the most part I was fine with it. It was always a new adventure to me.

When new people or projects come into my worklife, I have a knack for just diving right in.   I take to new folks right away. I don’t get hung up on the way things have always been.  I don’t dread change like so many folks do.  In fact, I usually find changes, even big ones, to be challenging and exciting.

Today, I realized I had a few minutes for a quick lunch break before the Mass of the Holy Spirit and I picked up the phone to call the one friend on campus who likes to eat lunch early.  The Cafe begins serving lunch at the super early time of 11:15 and my friend Melissa often heads over there to eat at that time because she has lots of C-hour meetings. 

Just as I was beginning to call her at the familiar extension I have been calling for the past eight years, I suddenly remembered that she doesn’t work here anymore.  She recently resigned to teach at the graduate level and to have more time with her family.  Intellectually, I think her move was a great one both personally and professionally.  For months as we have transitioned, I thought I was fine with the idea that she was not going to be on campus anymore.  

However, today, standing in line by myself in Cafe, I just felt lonely.  Even though I had known the change was coming for several months, I was just overwelmed with how much I missed my friend.  

So, since I can’t count on a quick lunch with her on campus now and again anymore, I guess I will need to make a change in our routine and find new ways to stay connected.   I’ll let you know how it goes.