Thursday, March 3, 2011

Changing Channels

For as many lighthearted, carefree and fun songs as Jimmy Buffett has written, there are a handful that stick out for their incredible poignancy. Changing Channels is one of those songs.

Jimmy always catches me at the seemingly wrong time...

I should be studying for a huge test on grammar, punctuation and word usage, so I figured if I wrote this blog I could attempt to self-edit, and that would be good enough. As a matter of fact, I just correctly hyphenated "self-edit." Moving on.

Speaking of moving on, I've been puzzled lately as to exactly how one goes about moving on...from anything. I'm quickly discovering that I'm at a time in my life where things are changing as rapidly as they first occur. I'm not the most adapt when it comes to change. It doesn't terrify me, but I don't always welcome it with open arms either.

A few minutes ago, I sat down to check for an e-mail and opened iTunes. Changing Channels came on...

"There's an island in the ocean / where the people stay in motion / somewhere on the old Gulf Stream / do they live or did I dream
They were changing channels / waiting for their sails to fill / they'll be changing channels / always will."

I don't know exactly what Jimmy meant when he wrote that, but I've created my own idea about it that suits me well. No matter the exact meaning, I'd like to think the people he's referring to are good at adapting to change. I think of them as calm sailors behind the helm. I don't think they care whether they are in control. They aren't worried about the winds shifting. They have no particular destination. They are content to "change channels" and see where they end up.

If only I could be more like those people...whoever they are...