Change - again

They say the only thing constant in this world is change. I agree with this concept and have accepted a lot about change that has affected the way I live including changes in people and the environment around me. One thing I can say about change that is also similar to what others have found about it is that it is unpredictable in the way it affects us.

Take for example the change in government after the elections last year. After 9 years of working with officials of the previous government and getting familiar with their work styles and tendencies, we now start from scratch with many new officials. Often, we have to replay efforts undertaken in order to get on the good side of these officials and perhaps influence the way they make decisions if only to propagate our advocacies. Never mind if there are those who believe they are entitled to their positions and assume they know better. Never mind if some happen to be recycled and do not have new ideas to also help bring about change that is good to a sector that reflects a country's situation.

Take also the example of persons having children. Indeed having a baby and raising a child is a tremendous game changer. A mother's life is forever influenced by her child starting from when she bears the child in her womb until probably when she passes away, assuming she does before her child. Life would be too unkind if parents or a parent would have to bury his/her own child like what has been experienced in places where there is unrest or chaos.

Parents' lives will have to revolve around their child and yet there is tremendous joy that is derived from this. A child's laughter alone, I can imagine, brings so much happiness in the hearts of parents. And I have seen this and shared in this if only with my niece and nephew. And perhaps I also long for this feeling if only it can be realized and soon. But that, of course, is another story.

We are mostly uncomfortable when people around us change. We are usually forced out of our comfort zones and try to bring order by playing the control game. Often, the struggle for control is manifested in a power trip. Other times, we just tend to shut down people and block communication lines. And this is a sad thing when communications are impeded or cut altogether. It is when people stop talking to each other and friends opening up to share what is inside them and what concerns them when stress enters such relationships and as the Filipino saying goes "nagkakalamat ang pagkakaibigan."

We are all guilty of observing change around us and interpreting such change in a way that is relative to ourselves. We think that the change in other people affect us as if we ourselves do not change and affect other people. That flawed assumption that others change but we don't also brings about the struggle for control and a tendency to attempt to impose our own will and standards on others. And this is a sign that we have not accepted change and that we have not opened ourselves to such changes so as to transform what seems to be negative into something that is positive. This is a challenge that will continue as we live and interact with other people, and hopefully we do learn to embrace change, adjust and open ourselves to its positive outcomes rather than dwell on its disadvantages.