Author: Jasmin Hepburn
Email: consciousliving@optimum.net
Title: Change Is Inevitable
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It has been a challenging time for my 10 year old son recently. Prior to the end of school, we had to say goodbye to a wonderful friend; and he was distraught. Then school ended, and he had to say goodbye not only to his classmates, but also to the children who graduated. Then he went to camp where he made new friends and had to say goodbye to them as well. This weekend it was time to say goodbye to his cousins who were moving to another part of the country. A series of departures in just a few weeks. And he is acutely aware of it all.
It was an emotional time for my family as we said goodbye to my sister and her family. Tears flowed among adults and children alike. Many times we don’t realize the depth of our love for the people who we see around us all the time; and it is in those moments when we say our good-byes that it often dawns on us that our lives will never be the same without the ones we love around us.
So how do you cope in those times when your heart feels like “broken pieces of glass scattered all over,” to quote my son? What do you do when the people you share wonderful times with, those with whom you grow, share, fight, laugh and cry decide to experience life in a different setting and move away? How do you deal with longing for the company and interaction of those people? It is not easy at all, but life has to go on.
Life is all about change. Every second changes happen, and that is one of the facts of life that can help you to cope with parting from loved ones. This moment is completely different than the moment you read the first line of the blog. And every subsequent moment will be different. So that is proof that life is constantly changing.
When you accept that truth, you are on your way to approaching life with more openness and acceptance. For what would our lives be like if we remained as toddlers? What if we never had the opportunity to fall in love, have children or go to college, learn to drive, or have a career in which we positively influence the lives of others? How would your life be if you lived in the same place from birth until death and never did anything except play with barbies and legos? You would miss out on innumerable experiences that help to make you who you are and guide you in your journey on this planet.
So I repeat what I told my child and his cousins: life is about change, and change is good. When you experience it, you either willingly embrace the newness that comes to you and invites you to see life in a different way; or you are forced to get out of your comfort zone and approach things differently. Many of the changes can be challenging at first, but they are nonetheless worthwhile. Life often gets boring without challenges, so facing changes forces you to dig deep within yourself and find the resolve and resilience to move forward instead of rolling up into a ball and wishing to die.
These days I’m being reminded of the importance of family and community and how connected we are as people. Our actions within our families and communities have an impact on those around us; so let us treat one another with love, kindness and compassion. We never know when we will have to say goodbye or how one action of ours might change someone’s life.
Today’s thought: I have the courage to face change.
