Knowing that all change is meant to happen in one way or another. Life is meant to be good, fun and exciting. So whatever change I encounter will only bring me more of that.
Looking back and noticing that changes that have happened to me even if I didn’t want them or like them, often put me in a place of growth and even happiness.
I think of the school where I teach, and where I was placed 4 years ago. I did not want to leave the school I was already teaching in, but now I am very grateful for the move. I am in a place so much more suited to what I have to offer, as well as to learn.
Change and uncertainty are a difficult
for me. My practices help keep me
grounded and here in this moment.
And I try reminding myself of recent
changes that have been positive and
try to avoid the impulse to catastrophize.
It’s all part of being present and seeing
things as clearly as possible.
My foundation for handling change is knowing that every change I’ve been through so far has made me who I am, and that I’ve survived them all. Each one has shaped me in some way, either to leave a rough edge or to smooth one out. Some changes I asked for, some came unbidden, and that’s life. The line “The only way out is through” has been sustaining at the roughest spots.
A long time ago when I was stressing out over something (possibly wedding plans), my mom gave me two lines to put things into perspective that also help. The first was “The sun will rise tomorrow no matter what you do or don’t do today”. The second, somewhat grimmer, was “Will little children die as a result of this?” Now, in my professional life (in active transportation safety) sometimes the answer actually is YES to that one and I take that seriously, but most of the time the changes in our lives don’t carry that kind of cost. Whatever it is, sunrise is coming as scheduled.
Other people support me in remaining open to change. For even if I’m not “listening” to them as I ought… sometimes I’ll reflect back on something someone said. Whether their words or actions were purportedly or expressly for me to change or reconsider something, sometimes the words or examples of another can show the way to a change in oneself.
Secondarily, I suppose, is nature or whatever my environment is at present. Observation of the weather speaks of change, same of the seasons. Even those things we think are fix in place change. Noticing a new copper eavestroughs change from shimmering bronze to faded green, or even a statue that becomes dirty our porous overtime. Whether intentional or not, internally forced or externally experienced, it all changes.
I don’t think I am all that open to change. It’s more that my resistance becomes futile that brings about acceptance. Once again I am grateful to have read others reflections.
Life! I have been through so many changes over these many years. My family/I have been through many moves along the pathway. I have learned and experienced much. Some of it was planned or expected, some surprising. If given a choice, I’m not so sure I am open to every change that may come my way, but I know that in my many years on this planet, I have survived, benefited, learned, adapted, been surprised, kept going, asked for help when needed, “grown in wisdom, age and grace” along the way. I guess curiosity and experience support me in remaining open to change.
I’m supported by the realization that the only thing permanent in life is change. Also, by my personal experience that Life is trustworthy. It’s my monkey mind that I have to corral because my need to control has always made change hard for me.
I relate to the quote Laura shared from Pema Chodron: “To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.” For me, that means my job is willingness.
I’m drawn to my bookcase to retrieve Anthony DeMello’s book “One Minute Wisdom.” I wanted to share a definition of spirituality it offers:
“Even though it was the Master’s day of silence, a traveler begged for a word of wisdom that would guide him through life’s journey. The Master nodded affably, took a sheet of paper and wrote a single word on it: “Awareness.” The visitor was perplexed. “That’s too brief.” Would you please expand on it a bit?” The Master took the paper back and wrote: “Awareness, awareness, awareness.”
I close with a verse from a poem I wrote in 2009:
Our lives cry out “Awake!”
Before the reaper rides!
In death—fully alive.
I want to die awake,
Joseph, the poem is what is called a Villanelle which is a French verse form consisting of five three-line stanzas and a final quatrain, with the first and third lines of the first stanza repeating alternately in the following stanzas. These two refrain lines form the final couplet in the quatrain.
I usually just right free verse but in 2009 I took a poetry course to familiarize myself with different poetry forms. This poem was inspired by a comment from a friend. “I want to die awake,” she said then added. “I don’t want to miss anything.” Many say that the way we live is the way we will die. If we have learned the importance of letting go, trusting life and ourselves, refusing to fight or flee and choosing to let life flow then the final letting go will hopefully come naturally. Many people go through their whole lives and are never truly alive; they never really wake up! I wrote this poem in 2009 and I am guessing if I wrote it today, it would speak more to the spiritual meaning of the word “awake.” Here’s the poem from 2009.
I Want to Die Awake!
I want to die awake.
No drugs to dull the ride,
each moment to partake.
I say, “Let’s plan the wake.”
Death we can’t deny.
I want to die awake.
I pray for heaven’s sake.
Forgive my foolish pride,
each moment to partake.
Our lives cry out “Awake!”
“Before the reaper rides!”
I want to die awake.
With joyful noise to make,
with flambeauxs raised on high,
each moment to partake.
Awake before the wake.
In death—fully alive.
I want to die awake,
each moment to partake
I’m not sure how open to change I am, but I’ve made progress over the years to stop resisting it. I accept change as part of life — sometimes a really great part. Being grateful for the constancies and joys in my life helps me accept the inevitable changes.
Two quotes also help:
Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home. — Basho
To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. — Pema Chodron
Knowing that changes are not under my control, I have to accept them and learn to live with them.
I also use a meditation track about impermanence, it helps me to accept the impermanent nature of all things.
Change in this world is inevitable. From the seasons which are somewhat predictable to technology, not so predictable. Birth to death brings about physiological changes. Behavioral changes can occur, and have positive outcomes, if one follows the path. Awareness, love, kindness, being in the present and a good dose of gratitude help support myself in all the change around me. Some things do not change though, at 65 I still do not own a cell phone or any mobile devices.
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Knowing that all change is meant to happen in one way or another. Life is meant to be good, fun and exciting. So whatever change I encounter will only bring me more of that.
Looking back and noticing that changes that have happened to me even if I didn’t want them or like them, often put me in a place of growth and even happiness.
I think of the school where I teach, and where I was placed 4 years ago. I did not want to leave the school I was already teaching in, but now I am very grateful for the move. I am in a place so much more suited to what I have to offer, as well as to learn.
One certainty in life is Change. Knowing this allows me to be more open to it. However many people do not like change so it can be
very challenging.
Change and uncertainty are a difficult
for me. My practices help keep me
grounded and here in this moment.
And I try reminding myself of recent
changes that have been positive and
try to avoid the impulse to catastrophize.
It’s all part of being present and seeing
things as clearly as possible.
I also need to avoid the catastrophizing, Charlie T.
Open to change? For me what keeps me open to change is the curiosity of…can there be another, better way.
My foundation for handling change is knowing that every change I’ve been through so far has made me who I am, and that I’ve survived them all. Each one has shaped me in some way, either to leave a rough edge or to smooth one out. Some changes I asked for, some came unbidden, and that’s life. The line “The only way out is through” has been sustaining at the roughest spots.
A long time ago when I was stressing out over something (possibly wedding plans), my mom gave me two lines to put things into perspective that also help. The first was “The sun will rise tomorrow no matter what you do or don’t do today”. The second, somewhat grimmer, was “Will little children die as a result of this?” Now, in my professional life (in active transportation safety) sometimes the answer actually is YES to that one and I take that seriously, but most of the time the changes in our lives don’t carry that kind of cost. Whatever it is, sunrise is coming as scheduled.
Barb, Love this!
Still get a kick out of your mother’s home spun wisdom, Barb C.
Other people support me in remaining open to change. For even if I’m not “listening” to them as I ought… sometimes I’ll reflect back on something someone said. Whether their words or actions were purportedly or expressly for me to change or reconsider something, sometimes the words or examples of another can show the way to a change in oneself.
Secondarily, I suppose, is nature or whatever my environment is at present. Observation of the weather speaks of change, same of the seasons. Even those things we think are fix in place change. Noticing a new copper eavestroughs change from shimmering bronze to faded green, or even a statue that becomes dirty our porous overtime. Whether intentional or not, internally forced or externally experienced, it all changes.
I don’t think I am all that open to change. It’s more that my resistance becomes futile that brings about acceptance. Once again I am grateful to have read others reflections.
Life! I have been through so many changes over these many years. My family/I have been through many moves along the pathway. I have learned and experienced much. Some of it was planned or expected, some surprising. If given a choice, I’m not so sure I am open to every change that may come my way, but I know that in my many years on this planet, I have survived, benefited, learned, adapted, been surprised, kept going, asked for help when needed, “grown in wisdom, age and grace” along the way. I guess curiosity and experience support me in remaining open to change.
I’m supported by the realization that the only thing permanent in life is change. Also, by my personal experience that Life is trustworthy. It’s my monkey mind that I have to corral because my need to control has always made change hard for me.
I relate to the quote Laura shared from Pema Chodron: “To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.” For me, that means my job is willingness.
I’m drawn to my bookcase to retrieve Anthony DeMello’s book “One Minute Wisdom.” I wanted to share a definition of spirituality it offers:
“Even though it was the Master’s day of silence, a traveler begged for a word of wisdom that would guide him through life’s journey. The Master nodded affably, took a sheet of paper and wrote a single word on it: “Awareness.” The visitor was perplexed. “That’s too brief.” Would you please expand on it a bit?” The Master took the paper back and wrote: “Awareness, awareness, awareness.”
I close with a verse from a poem I wrote in 2009:
Our lives cry out “Awake!”
Before the reaper rides!
In death—fully alive.
I want to die awake,
With my boots on. I do like that verse. Would you grace us with the whole poem Carol?
Joseph, the poem is what is called a Villanelle which is a French verse form consisting of five three-line stanzas and a final quatrain, with the first and third lines of the first stanza repeating alternately in the following stanzas. These two refrain lines form the final couplet in the quatrain.
I usually just right free verse but in 2009 I took a poetry course to familiarize myself with different poetry forms. This poem was inspired by a comment from a friend. “I want to die awake,” she said then added. “I don’t want to miss anything.” Many say that the way we live is the way we will die. If we have learned the importance of letting go, trusting life and ourselves, refusing to fight or flee and choosing to let life flow then the final letting go will hopefully come naturally. Many people go through their whole lives and are never truly alive; they never really wake up! I wrote this poem in 2009 and I am guessing if I wrote it today, it would speak more to the spiritual meaning of the word “awake.” Here’s the poem from 2009.
I Want to Die Awake!
I want to die awake.
No drugs to dull the ride,
each moment to partake.
I say, “Let’s plan the wake.”
Death we can’t deny.
I want to die awake.
I pray for heaven’s sake.
Forgive my foolish pride,
each moment to partake.
Our lives cry out “Awake!”
“Before the reaper rides!”
I want to die awake.
With joyful noise to make,
with flambeauxs raised on high,
each moment to partake.
Awake before the wake.
In death—fully alive.
I want to die awake,
each moment to partake
I love the lines from your poem,
dear Carol…♥
I’m not sure how open to change I am, but I’ve made progress over the years to stop resisting it. I accept change as part of life — sometimes a really great part. Being grateful for the constancies and joys in my life helps me accept the inevitable changes.
Two quotes also help:
Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home. — Basho
To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. — Pema Chodron
Change can be a struggle. Remembering how I have dealt with past changes successfully helps with acceptance.
Life itself and the knowledge that change is inevitable.
Knowing that changes are not under my control, I have to accept them and learn to live with them.
I also use a meditation track about impermanence, it helps me to accept the impermanent nature of all things.
Change in this world is inevitable. From the seasons which are somewhat predictable to technology, not so predictable. Birth to death brings about physiological changes. Behavioral changes can occur, and have positive outcomes, if one follows the path. Awareness, love, kindness, being in the present and a good dose of gratitude help support myself in all the change around me. Some things do not change though, at 65 I still do not own a cell phone or any mobile devices.