I hate when things change except for the seasonal changes that happen of course. The rest just breeds a lack of comfort...Until of course, you adjust. This is never easy. However, you cannot live this life without experiencing change. Whenever we are faced with life's trials, we can not stop the after effects of them. Change for all of us is inevitable. Many of us hate the idea of having our comfortable world disrupted. But guess what...We will all be subject to a change at some point in our lives. Perhaps, even more than one will occur. The challenge is that most of those changes are a surprise. We are never prepared.
When I was a teenager, I was a "chubs." I mean, a "chubs." I stayed that way until I was in junior high and then I started walking and running and excercising with my sister. By the time I graduated, I was 99 pounds. I changed and boy...did people notice. I never got to the prom but I did get propositioned and honestly, I was not impressed. I wanted someone to like me for who I was, chubby or not. I did realize however, that I was capable of a metamorphois. Metamorphosis can be extremely powerful. When we change physically, people notice. They compliment you. For me, compliments often make me shy, even at 64. My body has changed a great deal over the last five to ten years and some of these changes were not of my choice. The positive changes came after I fought my battles and saw my health as a salvation not as an inconvenience.
In previous columns, I wrote about smoking and how I quit. Another powerful journey took place and I realized that living was more important than the habit. Again, not easy...It was a painful process but it was necessary. When we are facing a change, we have to face the idea that it will be difficult. Those who love us have to understand that too. When changes occur, we must embrace the emotions that come with them. Death brings change and as we grieve, we realize how much love we had with our loss. Each birthday we celebrate brings a rebirth and gratitude that we have another year ahead to dream and to celebrate our peace. We are fortunate if we find that peace by the way.
What never ceases to amaze me is how resilient people can be. They evolve and whether we appreciate how they've changed or not is of no concern. As change happens, we have to accept those changes and love our loved ones regardless. "Lord grant us the serenity, to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference." The thing that gets me about this serenity prayer is the word "wisdom." Wisdom comes when we are open to accepting our mistakes, our lack of judegement and our weaknesses. When we can do this, change occurs and we heal.
We change whether we are aware of it or not. I took a look at myself in the mirror recently, and saw a new person that I did not recognize. Yes, there were wrinkles...just a few...My eyes had more passion in them and more confidence than I had seen in my entire life. I believe that's because I have nothing to prove to anyone except myself. Change happens and we see a different person in the mirror. The wisdom is noticeable. It radiates and we may not even be aware unless we look.
