Greetings cyber friends! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. The end of last year and the beginning of this year I have been dealing with some changes. It got me thinking about the sayings “the only constant is change” and “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” At first blush these sayings seem to be contradictory. However, by taking a closer look, they may just be 2 different sides of the same coin.
Think about the movement of Earth. It rotates, or spins, on its axis while at the same time orbiting the sun. It does 2 things at once, yet both movements follow the same path. So, what if our lives are like the Earth?
The Only Constant Is Change
We spin through the day, busy, busy, busy. We talk about how fast time goes by. Just when we think we have life figured out, we get thrown a curve ball. It seems we get settled into a routine and then some event occurs and we find we have to recalibrate our spinning.
Think about this for a moment; life is really about growth and development. We are constantly going through transitions in life. Start with children. The speed at which children grow is stunning! How often do you hear someone comment on how much a baby has grown or changed, from holding their head up, to rolling over, sitting, standing, crawling, walking? How fast the time goes by. Then comes kindergarten, elementary and high schools and then college. We start our careers and families. There is watching our parents age, losing grandparents and eventually losing our parents. Life is constantly spinning and changing! The only constant is change.
The More Life Changes, the More It Stays the Same
Now, let’s talk about the Earth’s orbit. Imagine, if you will, the orbit of Earth is like the cycle of life. Everyone is born, goes through the stages of childhood, adulthood, middle age and old age, finally dying. We can recall the angst of junior high or the feeling of freedom in college. We remember, fondly or not so fondly, our first significant others and being hurt. We commiserate with one another and our children because we have been there.
Just like our grandparents watched their children grow up and become parents, our parents watched us grow up and become parents. We became parents and watched our children grow up. Our children continue the cycle by becoming parents and watching their children grow. Each generation watching as the next generation cycles through the stages of life’s orbit. This cycle has been repeating itself for eons. The more life changes, the more it stays the same.
So, what does this matter? Maybe nothing. Or, maybe this is an opportunity for us to reframe our view of life. What if we embrace change as part of the journey? What if we accept that the constant in life does not last and we simply enjoy the good times while they last? What if we acknowledge that the difficult transitions are also part of the journey and they too will ebb and flow? Ah…the possibilities. What will you do?