Changes

 The world we live in changes everyday.The disparity that we acknowledge causes our unrest. That is the story of our lives, on a personal level. We are born into one world and die in another. Our passage through this world is but a brief journey, when considered in the expanse of time. For most of us the closer we come to the end of this journey the more we begin to consider the next. The biggest question being, will we be aware ? Is there a portion of us, that continues the journey ? The answer to that is a personal choice, there is no right or wrong. At least no answer that can be proven by physical evidence. It is all about acceptance. The changes we accept and the changes we reject define our passage. That is the core of all we are. 

 It is a natural thing to resist change. We cling to the familiar. The reasons for that are obvious ones. The desire to change, or rebel against the current norm, is dependant upon our position in society. It is all interrelated. We first experience this desire to change when we begin to relate to those outside our social group. As early as preschool or kindergarten we are exposed and either change to fit the dynamics of the group or resist that change. In my lifetime I have seen the reaction to this change as well. My parents were more of the " spare the rod, spoil the child " mindset than today's attitude of, " perhaps they require medication or therapy. " It truly is a different world. Whereas I was taught about differences in culture, today we teach about being the same. Oddly, in a world that embraces diversity the children are encouraged to all react the same. That reaction, the one being promoted, is acceptance. That is why we hear that old phrase, " things change over time. " Or you may hear. " that is just old fashioned. " Both are rationalizations to change. 

 I have found that accepting change is the easier thing to do. It is far simpler and may gain you " friendship " on some level. In my time we called it being " cool. " Are you cool ? I'm not sure what the kids are saying today but I'm certain it means the same thing. The difficulty in life, and the living of it, lies in maintaining your values. That is not to say you shouldn't adopt or embrace new ideas, but rather that you shouldn't do so by sacrifice. Sacrifice expects a return, one must be certain of its' worth. You should also be certain of the return. Do not sacrifice for short term gain. That is something we all should understand at some point in our lives. The path we take to that understanding will be different for each of us. The degree of examination before we " purchase " the product will determine our satisfaction with that product. In other words, do not be deceived by ease of use. The results you achieve may disappoint over time. 

 Acceptance and capitulation are different things. I believe we often confuse the two. That is the struggle we all face. It can be difficult to distinguish the difference. Acceptance requires a close examination, whereas capitulation requires none. You just surrender. You surrender to peer pressure or societal pressure. You sacrifice your values for a short term gain. Acceptance demands no sacrifice or surrender. Acceptance requires faith. But what is faith ? Faith is a belief in something that cannot be proven. It may refer to a religious belief but it is not limited to that. Faith is believing in yourself and your own assessment of right and wrong. Where you place your faith determines your path. The question that then faces each of us is, " where does the path lead ? " The answer lies in belief.