Ponderings (March 2007) - “CHANGE”

According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary …

Change is “to make different in some particular; alter; transform; to give a different position, course or direction; to undergo transformation, transition, or substitution”

Sharing my thoughts …

As I look in the mirror today and see a magenta, black and blue eye staring back at me (from surgery I had earlier this week) I am reminded that things can and do change, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly.  A few days ago, my eye looked normal, now I have a shiner!  Sometimes we willingly seek and make changes in our life and at other times it seems that change is thrust upon us whether we want it or not.  There are a number of ways we can respond to change.  We can try to ignore it, resist it, accept it or embrace it.  How we respond to change greatly determines our state of mind and emotional well being.  The more we ignore or resist change, the more we suffer.  The more we accept change and are open to the growth opportunities in the experience; the easier it is to move on with our lives, and perhaps, even embrace the change as a gift.

Questions to ponder …

1. What part of you resists change?
2. What part of you embraces change?
3. How do you typically respond to changes that you initiate?
4. How can you effectively handle the current changes in your life?
5. What are you learning from the changes that you are currently facing?
6. What changes have you resisted?  What has this resistance done for you?
7. What changes have you embraced?  What has this embracing done for you?
8. How do you typically respond to changes that happen outside of your control?
9. What has been the biggest change forced upon you?  What was the end result?
10. What has been the biggest change you initiated in your life?  What was the end result?

Related quotes …

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.  [Anatole France]

Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine. [Robert C. Gallagher]

The key to change is to let go of fear.  [Rosanne Cash]

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.  [Victor Frankl]

Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure.  But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it.  Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.  [Shunryu Suzuki]