The More Things Change, the More Things Stay the Same

In Boardrooms throughout the world tough decisions are made every day. Business and living realities become apparent and there needs to be a fitting response. ‘React today or be gone tomorrow’ is the set up, and it never changes. And it never will.

The unfortunate flipside is there’s always a human element to the tough decisions that must be made. Some inevitably lose. For some it’s going to be blatantly unfair.

The challenge for Joe and Joan Public is to learn to operate in this cut-throat world of realities-beyond-compassion in such a ‘soft’ way that he or she can make the most of their lots without compromising others or their own esteem. They must adapt or go under. To adapt is to mature.
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Yet, so often we see people struggle to cope and in the end they often don’t; they give up on the problems before them, and hence give up on themselves. We’ve all been there.

The more things change for many people, the more they stay the safe same. No risks of courage are taken; no leaps of faith are explored. Fear drives the safe same; we seek the comfort of familiar surroundings--the furnishings of the life we know and must cling to.

In the words of British physicist, Stephen Hawking, “It doesn’t have to be like this.” For starters, it is not safe to cling fast to a world rapidly changing--if we can’t adapt we won’t soon fit.

Why is it that when things change we staunchly resist the inevitable? Why do we see the changes mooted and get in the way. Why do we not see the broader view, even if it’s at our own expense--we’d be better off for it in the long run!

Things will always change. At times this is going to have direct impact on us. At other times it doesn’t impact on us and we’re disappointed; because it’s no threat we wish we were involved. The ‘change-lord’ can’t win.

A key to life is staying dynamic, to become elastic, nimble... agile--and this is primarily about the way we must think and feel. This is about an open mind that’s girded by a high and functional moral warehouse.

Embracing change, thinking ahead and planning for it, and helping others assimilate to change must be our purpose.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to say, ‘The more things change the more adaptable we are?’

Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved.