One credo defining my life is “The only thing that doesn’t change is the fact that things are going to change.” Change is inevitable yet so many of us resist it as if we had a choice in the matter. We do not; things are going to change whether we like it or not. Might as well embrace it.
For someone that sees change as exciting, I have a hard time understanding those that avoid it. Some even fear change. My mother was one that feared change to the point of being paralyzed into lack of action. She was not alone in that mentality.
In the check out at the grocery store the other day the clerk commented on some colorful sweet peppers I was buying. She said she always wanted to try them. I told her I loved the little things; they made the food look appealing by virtue of their color, were healthy, inexpensive and tasted good to boot. Sounds like a good deal all the way around, doesn’t it? So I wonder why this woman, who by the way could actually see the peppers from her work station, never tried them even though they intrigued her so. My bet is fear of change kept her tied to her normal, usual grocery list and away from anything new or different. The peppers were $2.58, not a large investment toward change but it was the personal cost of change, and not the price of the peppers that kept her away…that’s my guess.
Having lunch at a friend’s house the other day, I was astounded when she said she had the same wallpaper in her kitchen for twenty-eight years. This makes my head spin with the question, “Why?!!” She didn’t really know why; she thought perhaps it could be that she just never wanted to tackle the job of changing it. Hmmm….
Making a change in your world requires taking a chance, the risk of making a bad choice, committing to stepping out on unfamiliar ground. Granted, some changes in life, such as the loss of a loved one, are not good but most changes in life are not nearly so dramatic and if you do not like the outcome, change it again!
Daughter #1 says she is not worried about us should a tornado come our way because the sheer number of layers of paint I’ve applied would hold the house together. She might be right. Painting is an easy, quick fix for those of us that need change on a regular basis. I once did a complex seven step wall treatment in one of our bedrooms. I loved it! Then the grandchildren came to live with us and my beautiful exotic walls were too stimulating for young children to sleep in. I had to paint over it. My guess is that room CAN withstand a tornado. But the point is, changes were needed to fit our lives at that time so changes were made. Life changed again and the children no longer live here. Yes, I have painted that room once more but not the seven step process I used before. I have changed; I’m older now and not nearly as excited about all the climbing of the ladder required.
In change we can find a new appreciation for things that might have become so commonplace that we do not even see them anymore. Just as a new outfit makes you feel good, changes can add a spark to ‘the usual.’ It doesn’t take big changes to make a big impact. Rearrange the furniture or try a different route home from work for new scenery. Make a new recipe for dinner. Edit decor accessories.
Life in and of itself is constantly changing; it is neither static nor stagnant. It ebbs and flows like the tide. Yes, there are constants we need in life. God is one of them. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. But the world around us was created by God and it is an awesome example of constant change. The sunrise this morning will be different than the one yesterday and will not look like the one tomorrow.
It is said, variety is the spice of life. I believe that. Take a chance, shake things up and pepper life with small changes. Life without change, like food without salt, can be a little bland.
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