Times of Change

It's not official yet, but I'm changing jobs this upcoming year. It's looking like I"m going to be working about half time with John Dimucci in the Volunteer Office, and half time with the Holy Cross/IHM food pantry Casa Catalina. I'm very excited about this switch. I feel like loads of weight are being lifted off of me.

I do still worry about the youth group. I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen to it. I worry that it might die. I think it's more likely that someone new (probably from outside of the volunteer program) will come in to take it over. I shouldn't worry. Things have a way of working out.

And that's my lesson for the time being. Letting it go. Things, people, worries (both founded and unfounded). I need to just let it go. I've been talking with my roommate Dan about this for a good while now. He's leaving the program (day after tomorrow--sad story) to go to seminary. He feels so much anticipation, and anxiety about it all. And he knows that worrying won't change anything, but still the worries come.

It's hard for people like us because we feel, well, *I* feel like I'm a generally laid back sort of person. But I've just built up all this anxiety over the past year or so. And I guess it's fair. I've had some rought time work-wise. I've had a couple of deaths in the family, plus someone in my writing community. My brother's in Iraq. I get stressed out. And maybe because I'm such a generally laid back person, I don't really know what to do when I get like this.

But it's getting better. I'm letting go. It's nice.

My AIDS Marathon stuff is coming along nicely as well. I'm about halfway through my fundraising (and, surprise! there's gonna be a deadline extension!) and I just got a kick-ass donation from Dimucci. He's donating some of the miles he's built up over the past year, which drops my plane ticket to a drool-worthy low price. I can't tell you-- I'm touched by all the support I've gotten with this. It's incredible.

The training is going well, too. Our pace group is very supportive of each other. It's really great to have this other community to push and pull me through this. And in turn, have people to push and pull through their rough patches. It's nice.

The volunteer year officially ends in the middle of July. Hopefully Dan will be back for the closing retreat, but maybe not. Ellen will be leaving-- moving to Boston. I get to keep John Marchese. Britton will staying with the Claretians, but moving to Springfield Missouri. I get to keep Michael, of course. And we'll be getting some new folk, hopefully awesome new folk.

Yup, times they are a-changing.