Time marches on, no matter how hard we may try to stop it! We witness many changes over the course of our lifetimes. Relationships come and go, children grow up, jobs may change and so might the very structure of our lives. We may live in different homes, states or on different continents. The world changes . . . and so do we! We change in our physicality, viewpoints, beliefs and in our practices. It is not to say that we abandon all of which we used to espouse or embrace. However, with the advent of time, life experience and maturing, we can track a course of many twists and turns, or highs and lows that may lead us on different paths. As the saying goes: “The only constant in life is change.”
On the other hand, there is another saying that states: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” In this belief, we come to realize that even with and despite the countless changes we will each endure in our lives, we remain at our core, the very essence of who we always were. This is the conundrum we face with aging. We begin to see, at first, subtle changes in our appearance and in our abilities. We may view our bodies and our future with fear and unfamiliarity. Society does not look kindly upon the things that happen when we grow older; but if we really observe closely and listen carefully, we can see and feel the person we always knew ourselves to be. Our souls are permanent and so, too, is our beauty, worth and uniqueness. Whatever happens, we must remember this and connect to our true spirit, in order to weather all changes—without losing sight of our true selves.
There is great beauty in the unfolding of life. Each stage brings new and exciting adventures. We need to be open and willing to explore them. When we do, we begin to view ourselves in a new light, perhaps in ways we never had before. We grow, evolve and become better, stronger and wiser versions of ourselves!