Change's Embrace©

Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress 
Bruce Barton

Embrace Change.

I have heard that over the course of my life more times than I can remember or even care to. It’s a noble sentiment and when made with sincerity and backed with an efficient plan can even be inspirational.

I guess it is a lot easier to embrace change and understand evolution when you have been fortunate enough to experience it in a positive way. When viewed from a positive perspective, it should be viewed as an honor and a privilege to experience evolution if we are the better for it having occurred. However, everyone or everything is not fortunate enough to truly understand and appreciate change. Some see change as an inconvenience or a setback when in all actuality it is meant to be a setup for growth. I know that this may sound cliche'ish but it truly is all about your perspective of the change that is occurring. However you view said change will determine how you eventually react to it and trust me you will react. The only question is how.... positively or negatively. How we react to change can also eventually determine our quality of life. Case in point, standing up for what is just and what is fair won't win you any popularity contests. Especially if what is just and what is fair is not the status quo. For example, in a world where some view the accumulation of excess by any means necessary as a virtue, a prudent person is viewed negatively by "the establishment". Especially if said prudent person tries to instill that trait in others. The prudent person may be ostracized, persecuted or even lose their livelihood (or life) for their beliefs. That’s why it is in this author’s humble opinion to never waiver on your beliefs and your efforts in implementing the change you wish to see in the world if they are properly grounded and geared towards the greater good.

A "Change Agent" can have one of two effects on the world around them. They can either make the environment around them better or worse by the change they seek to implement. As alluded to earlier, "for better or for worse" is sometimes a matter of perspective. This is why in my humble opinion before implementing any kind of change; one's decision to implement or embrace change must be free of any bias or any preconceived notions. The change must be implemented for the right reasons and/or accepted for what it is if its implementation has a positive effect on or in its environment. This is why it is extremely important that we don't just seek change for change's sake. Said change needs to have a purpose. A legitimate purpose tied to a reasonably obtainable and worthwhile goal. So many of us get caught in making a change just because it’s "fashionable" or because of momentary instances of discomfort. In order for change to have a positive effect, I have found over the course of my life that there will have to be momentary instances of discomfort. That is just the nature of the beast. However, these momentary moments of discomfort should never be the catalyst for life altering change unless you are absolutely ready to live with the consequences of your actions. I only say that because I am all too familiar with life changing consequences reaped from seeking momentary comfort in certain activities that violated the moral code of my fathers and forefathers instilled in me by people of the utmost virtue and integrity. In other words, I know that there is truth in the statement that a moment of pleasure most definitely can bring you a lifetime of pain. That is why I am glad that the God I serve has a forgiving nature and a high tolerance for stupidity. He understands that one's evolution comes through trial and error (and a hell of a lot of the latter). He understands that we all make mistakes and will not hold them against us as long we learn from them and don't keep making the same mistake over and over again. Nevertheless, don't be deceived by His mercifulness. I said He has a high tolerance for stupidity, not outright disobedience. There is truly a distinct difference between the two.

In my humble opinion, change gets a bad rap. Not all change is bad. As a matter of fact all change is beneficial if all involved benefits from it in some kind of way. Nevertheless it is also important to remember that all change is not growth and that all progress is not forward. Change can become problematic when all parties involved refuse to embrace it and even goes so far as to put forth a considerable amount of effort towards preventing the change from occurring. Now please understand that I am referring to change that is beneficial and positive for all, not dysfunctional and reactionary decisions where little to no thought is placed into the effect had on or possible consequences from the change implemented.

Planning ...true planning is a lost art. Once upon a time, before taking on any endeavor or project or before implementing any sort of change, one was taught that success was tied to having a plan. Now granted, no one can plan for everything. There honestly will be times in which the unavoidable and the unthinkable may occur. However with the proper plan in place, when the unavoidable or unthinkable occurs you will always have a reference point you can return to prior to the bottom dropping out of everything you have worked so hard to achieve. When chaos and absolute craziness breaks out, you will be able to remain functional. Far too many of us get caught up in the foolishness and craziness of our lives because we fail to plan for the worst while maintaining hope for the best. Yes, it is a wonderful thing to be an optimist but it is also prudent and in everyone's best interest to also be a realist. I personally am a contextualist. Simply put, I believe in everything in its proper place. Which allows me to have a moral code yet be flexible enough to embrace change.

Please believe that planning and change goes hand in hand. Implementing change without the proper plan can and most often will have disastrous results. While sometimes "winging it" is cool and pays big dividends from time to time – I mean I’ll be the first to say that sometimes it is far better to be lucky than good. Nevertheless, you still need an effective plan in place simply because your luck is going to eventually run out. Time and chance happens to us all and neither is a respecter of persons. That being said, it is also in one's best interest to know and understand that building your livelihood on time and chance is the equivalent to building a home out of a deck of cards...on the beach. Now if that sort of livelihood is appealing to you then by all means get to building that house of cards, but I would not plan on living there for very long. The person that chooses a lifestyle or a livelihood void of any kind of rational planning will never know a moment’s peace and their life will be a constant string of unwelcome and unforeseen circumstances for which the person will always be unprepared. You may ask how do I know this or what makes you so certain. Simply because I was that dude. I had "if it ain’t one thing it's another syndrome". Whatever could go wrong did and I was most of the time always unprepared. Several things (most of them unpleasant) had to happen to me before I realized that a) I wasn't invincible b) I didn’t know everything c) I was extremely prideful d) I needed to slow down and last but certainly not the least of these e) I can never truly be efficient, productive or successful apart from God. You see the God I serve is a God of order and fruitfulness, not of disorder, dysfunction or chaos. If you believe as I do and you are voluntarily apart of dysfunction disorder and chaos then you may want to reevaluate your relationship with Him. I mean after all, how can you live an unproductive and dysfunctional life and claim that you are a child of God. That's like me going out here and robbing a liquor store or a bank with my family reunion T-Shirt on. You not only discredit yourself but the family as well. Now don't misconstrue what I’m saying here. No one is perfect. The key is that there are mistakes and then there is blatant and outright disobedience. Some people simply can’t help making honest mistakes from time to time. However, there are those that simply have chosen a certain lifestyle and live under the guise of not knowing any better. I got a news flash for you...you are not fooling anyone. As a matter of fact, if your initial honest mistake has turned into a lifestyle then you know exactly what you are doing. So with that being said, whatever you decide to do with your life or however you have decided to live it by all means be the best at it. Just be prepared for the consequences that comes with your choice.

So in closing, I personally don't subscribe to things "just happening". There is a rhyme and reason for everything that happens in this universe. The Earth revolving around the Sun has countless effects on our safety and well being here on Earth. The Earth turning on its axis keeps us attached to it, gives us our seasons, etc. The positioning of the Moon protects Earth from being pelted by meteorites and asteroids but also has an effect on our tides and provides the Earth with a continuous source of illumination. Bad things happen to good people. People enter and/ or exit your life without reason or warning. The list is endless. Personally, I don't want to live in a world where divine justice or where divine government ceases to exist in any form. That to me is a sure sign that the end of all things is truly at hand. There are times when the only hope we can derive from all of the things that happen around us or the only solace we can find from the daily grind is the prospect of positive change. We do however take for granted that good will always triumph over evil. We assume that this battle proven and time tested law of the universe will never change. There will come a day when this universal law will be rescinded. My prayer is that when it does that I'm not here to witness it. Nevertheless, everything that happens in this life happens for a reason. Nothing is just accidental or coincidental. Yet, the number one variant in the midst of it all is change.

Embrace it.