The "IF" Factor

My brother is a police officer in West Palm Beach. Ever since he sold his house because the price dropped, he and his wife have been trying to buy a 2 bed, 2 bath apartment overlooking the intercoastal. He's currently bidding on two units in the same development- the one he's currently living in and another that's closer to the water with a much coveted view. He's being tortured by variables he cannot control: will the bank approve my mortgage? will another buyer sweep in with a better offer? will the seller back out? I remember when I went through it, but I rarely look back.

We can all agree, I think, that purchasing a home is one of the most stressful experiences in life. Wanting something this huge and so basic for so long takes a toll on a person- and a marriage. Why does it take so LONG all the time? How does one look for peace at a time of such change and uncertainty? How does one feel in control and content when truthfully, he is not? It takes a lot of patience and a lot of faith to wait for the chips to settle where they may and to just know that what's meant to happen will happen.

In addition to being in the process of buying a house, he's also debating changing his position within the police department. Apparently his supervisor wants to create two new special unit positions and he wants my brother for one of them. However, the positions don't even exist yet; the chief of police has to be convinced they are necessary to create. In order to do this, 6 officers who are normally on road patrol are being used in the new position on a rotating basis. This will accomplish three things at the same time: they can see if taking the 6 cops off the road is plausible, they will see if the new positions are effective, and they can give the 6 officers almost a trial run or an audition for the new role. At the same time, my brother noticed that the job he'd had before in the Marina- patrolling the intercoastal in a boat- has an opening. He's had this position before and loved it. So, it comes down to this: IF he passes up the Marina job to wait for the special unit to be created, what happens if it never materializes? And IF he takes the Marina job, and then the special unit is created, he's stuck on the Marina which he's done before, and which is not considered a step up, but actually a step down in a way.

When so many variables are at play in our lives, it can become frustrating. An older sister's advice? Take comfort in the fact that these things ARE out of your hands. Concentrate ONLY on what you can control. Wait patiently for news about the bank- you can't do anything else. And take the Marina job.