“Life will never be the same again life is changing”… what a fantastic saying and an awesome song by Haddaway…

You’d think after my years of living that I would get used to the changes. I’m not! Some times they still hit home to me.

“As years are passing by, silence becomes your friend

You see the world in a different way

Don’t be afraid of getting old, life’s still full of joy

And the beauty of the past is rejoicing your mind

When days are getting short and your life slows down and down

The river is getting wide, life’s like a sea without end and forever changing.”

They always say you can count on two things in life, Death and Taxes. Well I say the other thing you can depend on, is nothing will ever remain the same. Get used to it, just when you think you have life all figured out: KAPOW, something else happens, and you are faced with a new situation, crisis or challenge. You solve three problems and just wait for the next one to show up! Everyone was so happy yesterday after our Salsa dance but soon after I have to deal with a cracked windscreen in my car!

This isn’t “breaking” news I guess. We all know that nothing stays the same. We all know that life is constantly changing. However, I think that we all under-estimate this fact in many ways. What I mean is, when things are going great in our lives, we don’t think about the times that they weren’t so great. And, when things are going badly and we are feeling sad, it is sometimes hard to remember that we were ever happy. In both these cases, it is important for us to not only remember, but to also reflect.

I think this is important because, if we take some time to reflect on the bad days, on days that are going well for us, we can get a better perspective on our lives. Seeing a bad day from the perspective of a good day, allows us to become “aware” of the notion that time heals. Something, that on our bad days, we may not be able to fully appreciate.

On our bad days, the notion that “time heals”, may seem like a small consolation. That brings me to the reason that on a bad day, taking some time to reflect on the happier times, can be helpful in not allowing ourselves to spiral into those hopeless feelings.

Our perceptions of the changes in our lives, both good and bad, are what will determine our reactions to those changes. So, if we can react with the “awareness” that nothing stays the same, and that nothing is meant to stay the same, then we are creating a more comfortable reality for ourselves.

So, what I am trying to say is;

• Don’t take your highs, so high, that when something brings you down, you crash!
• And, don’t let your lows, bring you so low, that when something comes around that could pick you up; you are so deep in despair that you can’t even realize it.

Life is always moving forward, always changing. When we awaken to the fact that we cannot control change, then we will be able to move forward as well. We should never forget our past, for it has built the foundation that our future so depends, but is not a crutch to lean upon for excusing away a life of wonder and beauty.

We touch the lives of others in ways we often never know. People sometimes come into our personal world for fleeting moments and can leave us forever changed. We have more power to create or to destroy than we can imagine. We can leave things or individuals better or worse than we found them. A look, a word, a gesture has tremendous impact and frequently we blither along through our existence unaware of the mighty power that our communication wields.

Our interactions with the people we encounter can impact at least the next five people that person encounters. A smile and words of simple appreciation multiply themselves geometrically.

We cannot control people and situations that come to us, but we can always control our response to them. And in such positive decisions lie our control and personal power to make a positive difference. And it’s something anyone and everyone can do. It is a real legacy that can impact both the present and the future.

One may be saddened at the realization that some have lost the ability to love, or be happy with their life, but should never accept blame for growth, and change. Growth may cause heartache, but it will never hold back the tomorrow climbing the horizon.

It is sad when people, especially those you love, or loved somehow find it in their heart to be cold, distant, or harsh in their response, but at times, it is in the best for both to move on, and not fall in the depths of what if. Tomorrow is a new day, and our yesterdays are but twinkles in our eyes, and let us always be looking forward in all that we do.

“Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes”. Hugh Prather