The Times They Just Might Be a'Changing

Albert, my sometimes roommate who pays no rent, is out roaming the countryside. It's that time of year. After all, he is a bear. I haven't seen him in a couple of weeks now. I imagine he'll put in an appearance soon. Soon being anywhere in the next few weeks, and probably before the Fall. Eddie, my other roommate, who happens to be a 16 1/2 year old cockatiel with a feather challenged head (yup, male pattern baldness on a small parrot; it's a genetic thing with many piebald cockatiels), has adjusted well to having Albert around. But he's still not quite perfectly comfortable with a large furry being who communicates mostly by sounds that are almost indistinguishable from growls. But upon occasion, Eddie has directed some of his various bird calls at Albert. Best as I can figure, Eddie's original caregiver (he's only been with me for about 4 years) kept him in a cage by a frequently opened window. Having no real contact with other cockatiels, he learned the calls and songs of a wide range of wild birds. He loves sharing these at various times of day, especially with anyone who happens to call on the telephone. My typing does bore him, however. So, right now he's tucked behind my head, at the junction of my right shoulder and neck, napping.
Thinking about the possibility of the circumstances of life changing can be a bit of a discombobulating experience. Of course, change is usually never a simple, or easy for that matter, thing to have to face up to. But it is the one thing in life that is constant. Or so they say. But as a somewhat ordinary guy, and I use the term in a rather loose manner, I am very settled into my life, such as it is. The mere idea of adding change into my fairly set-in-my-ways day to day existence, well, it's enough to shake me up a bit. A little, anyway.
But, Life, no matter how you look at it, simply is. And we go on. Whatever comes along, we either have to welcome into our own little lives, or we have to run away. The choice is ours. I see my choices as: a) be more like Eddie, and be afraid of anything new that comes along; b) take a lesson from Albert, and growl a lot; or c) enjoy the new as much as I can, and what I can't enjoy, either fly away from, or growl at.
And that's all I have to say about that (Forrest Gump).
To all you Fathers out there, including my brother, who has raised 3 wonderful children, enjoy a day of tribute. You deserve it. It can't be an easy job. And that's coming from someone who truly has not the slightest concept of what being a father is about. Well, except for taking care of Eddie. But somehow, I just don't think that's the same thing.