If change is the only constant, why are we so scared of it? With every passing moment our cells are dividing to make way for something new. It is not wrong to say that the existing order thrives on the brink of change. The fact is that we are constantly changing. Yet, the greatest paradox is that although we know life is in a constant state of flux, society and we ourselves are always seeking stability.
I too yearn for stability, sinking my heels in wherever I go. This makes it hard to accept change. However, the beauty of change is that with it we get a chance to retain what we like of the past and let go of what we do not fancy so much.
Accepting change, of course, is sometimes easier said than done. While there are few of us who embrace it, many of us dodge change as much as we can. And if we do welcome change, we do so with the inclusion of clauses and sub-clauses to make the transition the least bit obtrusive.
As a parent -- whether of the "helicopter", "tiger", "hands on", "hands off" or "fly on the wall" genre, the urge to protect is primal to all of us. Alas, we can only control so much and the best we can do in most situations is gently nudge our children's lives in a direction we feel best or safest.
When a child is born, the first thing new parents do is struggle to form a routine for the new arrival so that everything happens by the clock and there is no room or space for change. Some children fall into the pattern created by us easily and others rebel, staying true to their natural needs and instincts. In that situation, if one just lets go and lets the child lead the way things suddenly get smoother. Taking this as one of the many subtle lessons learnt in the school of parenting, if we apply the learning to other aspects of life, it may get easier to deal with change.
As our children grow, they are exposed to a myriad experiences and, if one is lucky enough, people and places. Not all situations are perfect, but we may take solace in the belief that there is always room for change.
As we dip our toes in the waters of 2016, with a heart filled with emotion as well as the lightness that unexpected change and surprises can bring, the mind feels like a boat sailing on the horizon seemingly on the verge of nose-diving into open air, but as we all know, the world is round and all will be well on the other side.