Small Changes

My chin is cold.

I shaved my beard off today. It's been some years since my chin was last naked and exposed to the elements. It's not like I had a really thick beard, but somehow that little patch of hair has made a big difference where insulation is concerned. Just a small change, but my experience of the world is different.

That difference is dwarfed by the response of those around me. The loss of just a few inches of facial hair has caused people who have known me for years to double take. My children are not sure they are comfortable with the "new me." It's amazing how such a quick change (it took just minutes) has made such a big difference in how people perceive me.

All of this has me thinking. What small changes, small choices, am I making each day, and how are they impacting me? How are they impacting others?

What small actions am I doing, or not doing, that are shaping my life.

I think it was John Lennon who said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." I know that the trajectory of my life has been incredibly impacted my major events, but I am beginning to recognize that the small choices and changes have a huge impact over time.

Small choices can fan the flames of love or can cause my soul to grow cold...like my chin.