Don’t be afraid to change.
You may lose something good
but you may gain something better. – Unknown

Change is an oddly necessary thing.

It happens at times because of us and many times it happens to us without any pomp and circumstance so we are not always aware – though that is technically our own fault. We should all be more in tune with ourselves, the world and others. We should be able to see the unseen changes, we should not be so bogged down that we are not clear in our own eyes, and hopefully, when we cannot see there is usually someone waiting in the wings ready to make it known. And, if they are, hopefully they are kind about it, but that isn’t always the case. Nonetheless, without their nudge we would still be unclear. Though we should not give too much credence to clarity brought about by others just enough to take note and reflect upon it.

Change is strange. Without meaning to change can recklessly unleash a party of emotions and when this happens, fear is often the hostess with the mostest; sometimes this party happens all around you and you are stood there thinking, “what am I doing here? I wasn’t even invited!” Ah, but you were. There is nothing formal about this party, no invitations or RSVP needed. A change party is like a flash mob.

And even stranger is the way it can scare the pants off people, paralyzing them into an isolation of sorts and rendering them exactly the same. These people are confused about what change actually is and what it can really accomplish. I once helped a friend move (on more than one occasion); this person did not pack a thing, did not give anything away or throw anything out (and there was plenty of all of it that needed to be done!), they simply had us all load up and transfer their entire life to a new location. I love this person a whole bunch, but change of location is not a change of life, especially if all you are doing is hanging a new picture on the wall in an effort to alter the scenery.

I have been witness to some people avoiding change as if it were the plague or a sin; they seem disgusted by it, put out and shun those who do it – as if change were somehow bad. Why are we humans so willing to relieve ourselves of responsibility? It wasn’t me, it was the change. I call bull shit! We are responsible for the changes we make and those we do not, the change or changes (or even lack thereof) are not.

We need change. And, sometimes avoiding it doesn’t do the trick. It will come and find you pestering you throughout your life until you either make a change or alter your path for a time to throw it off course. The changes we make are vast in size and effect but the same in that they will make you grow. Growth is the key, and we have all seen things grow…and change…right? The seed changes to a seedling then a sapling then a tree as we grow from infants through the stages to adulthood, but human growth and change are not simply physical. The physical changes are simply beyond our control (to a certain extent…thank you science…maybe) and so easily we seem to give over to them yet we will derail the other, perhaps, more needed, attempts to change. A part of change we should all be grateful for is the opportunity to shed characteristics we have outgrown or bad habits we have picked up; like a snake sheds its skin we too need change in order to shed things, like immaturity, prejudice and pride.

Sometimes the surprising ability to shed things is just change in disguise – it can be sneaky, but it doesn’t do it to be so, change just simply wants to give you a chance and sometimes you can get in your own way, so change simply goes around you. It will not abandon or avoid you; it will not do to us what we do to it. We human beings are far harder on our emotions (and things of that ilk) than they ever will be on us.

Too often we fail to recognize change and growth because we are caught up in the hurt and the pain that comes with it. Like sex, quick and easy is a momentary fix, you will achieve a far greater reward if you are willing to hunker down and invest yourself; the long and often hard road of change is simply the path in life you walk, but if it was always that clear to you would you still walk it?