Of one thing we can all be certain. Things change.
Yogic philosophy advises we not become too attached to things, situations, or even people, for this very basic reason. Things will change, and the more as we wish for them to stay exactly as they are, the harder it is for our constitutions when they don’t; the less we are able to enjoy what we have for fear of loss. The term in Sanskrit is Vairagya. Contrary to popular belief, this does not mean avoiding the joys in life; our possessions and relationships, our jobs and pets. It simply means enjoy them now but do not grasp and clutch. Set your dependence on them free.
I’ve been on a necessary leave from posting. We began to experience a shift in our working situation at home, and I felt the call of “All Hands On Deck!” Yes, our financial situation required we make some changes. Payments from some clients were late, new clients were sluggish in getting projects started, and we found ourselves adrift and looking for an answer.
At first, I felt very saddened that lacking funds would cause us to drastically change the plans we had laid. Instead of creating websites for small businesses full time, Richard would take a job doing similar work for a coop established to assist small, independent pharmacies who might otherwise be muscled out of existence by mega pharmacies. Our dream of working only from home, using less fossil fuel, and focusing on sustainable living would take some kind of a turn.
And now, a month into the change and we are both settling in nicely. Our small home can easily support one small office instead of two large ones, and so the house seems less cramped and chaotic. My work has shifted toward more illustration, and this is something that thrills me to no end. In addition, I lean heavily toward a pita constitution, which makes me the type who loves to plan a day of tasks and then proceed to follow through with a vengeance. Richard, however, of true vata nature, enjoys more structure. He is happy as a clam in his new gig and I am reveling in how well things have turned out.
I’ll be careful not to get too comfortable as someday things will again be different, but you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll enjoy every minute I can. And when things turn back around, and I experience difficulties, I know I can take solace in non-attachment because happily for us, it works both ways. Just as we can know that joyful things in our life will change as new things will take their place, when waters become rough, we can also know that this too shall pass.