The topic of change has been on my mind for quite some time. As the cliche' saying goes, change truly is the only constant. I was driving with my brother in law just last week and he pointed it out to me that my life seems like it's always changing. I chuckled at him and said, "yea...I guess you're right." I then said more seriously, "you know you really are right." Since the day my dad told me of his illness my life has been changing, evolving, revolving, and changing again, with little consistency. That was 12 years ago.
Since then I have lived in Germany, Utah, Iowa, Utah (again), Alabama, Georgia, and then Utah again, again (And I'm not even in the military). Coincidentally, each place has been about a two year stay. While journeying through these places I have learned a two new languages (if you count southern), met thousands of people, played baseball competitively, met my wife, gained and lost 40 pounds (not in that order), lost my father, finished my bachelors degree, spent a lot of money on infertility, battled deep sadness over not having children, lived in and managed a dorm with hundreds of college freshman, finished graduate school, endured a failed surgery for infertility, met my first son, met my second son, felt joy I didn't know existed, lived with strangers who are now like family, lived with in-laws (who are still family), watched three of my four sisters marry incredible men, created eternal friendships and moved away from them, worked eight or nine different jobs, lost a lot of hair, adopted my sons, spent a lot of money, met my beautiful daughter and brought her back to Utah, felt more joy than I've ever known, started to build a house, and hundreds of other emotional and fond memories.
Through writing these things down, the thought has come to me that change matters because what matters is that we change. Even further is that I can now say I have learned how to grieve, feel joy, trust, be very afraid and not break, become more patient, let go of control (on some levels), endure homesickness in many ways, be well beyond my comfort zone, turn to my wife for comfort and strength, learned what makes me anxious and depressed, what makes me happy and what makes me cry. I can say I've learned how to forgive and to seek forgiveness. I've learned people, cultures, empathy, and love. Above all else I have learned again and again that the worth of every soul is magnificent.
So what's the point of change...that's for you to find out as you experience it. The key is to never stop new experiences lest you miss on the most important lessons you need to learn. You see, our worth is derived from the evidence created by experiences we allow ourselves to walk through. As we walk through them, we learn vital details of our character, which could not and cannot be learned without the experience. The experience, when lived while being mindful and present, will reflect back to you what you need to see...if you allow it.
Unfortunately, I see many people, myself included at times, being too fearful to experience new things, places, people, and adventures. The world has got us scared...anxiously anticipating the worst case outcomes. In some ways, ignorance is bliss, because it allows us to take needed risks. In other words, the fingertip information we have is stopping us from gathering the willful wisdom we need. It's keeping us from taking risks.
So to answer my question, I believe change is vital because it is the catalyst of learning, and learning is the foundation of happiness.
Have a great day Ya'll. Bis Aufwiedersehen oder wiederschreiben,
Shayden