Since the beginning of time, humanity has always shared one thing in common – change in unavoidable. The realization might not always be evident, but each and every day our lives are evolving in directions we never thought possible, and often the evolution is beyond our control.
But change tends to get a bad reputation. Be it a relationship, a career or anything that involves making a long term commitment, change is not something we’re willing to adjust to, nor accept easily. We develop a sense of security in our lives, and sometimes we can’t always see the benefits altering our “comfort zone” could possibly bring.
The dictionary defines “change” as “to alter; to give up for something else; to change one’s intention.” This altering can lead to great things. And while the direct results are not always obvious, change can be just what you need – bringing your life to new heights that far surpass your current state of being.
But for many of us, we have trouble letting go of the past for something new. For some it’s holding on to the 1950 Chevy we first learned to drive; for others it’s the uneasy feeling of moving from the home where our family was raised. The truth is no matter how much our lives change and where they leads us, one thing can never be taken away – the memories that live in our hearts and minds.
Life is like an endless novel – each chapter representing another place and time in our lives, forever evolving. And all it takes to ignite the feelings of the past are the sweet smell of flowers on a spring day, the soft sound of music playing in the background or the feeling of an old woolen blanket upon our skin.
As we all get older, we start to realize how vital these memories truly can be. They keep us company on days when we’re lonely, keep us warm when we’re feeling cold, keep us happy when we’re feeling sad.
I’m sure we all have friends or family members that send countless emails designed to inspire and motivate – some even claiming riches or health if we pass them along to ten other people in the next five minutes. For the most part I tend to delete such messages before I ever read them. But recently my wife sent me an email with a request in the subject line stating “please read” so I figured how bad could it be.
I was pleasantly surprised to find this: “The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. We have the choice to live fully each and every day. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”
It takes courage and strength to fully embrace change, and so many times the results far outweigh the inconvenience. Change is something beyond our control, and no amount of worry or stress will have any effect on the final outcome.
No one is saying that change is easy, but it is a turning point in our lives. Change forces us to evaluate where our lives our going, giving us the opportunity to better not only ourselves, but the world around us. Change is unavoidable – but it doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.
