On Change, an Observation

Our world is in a constant state of fluctuation. Literally speaking, the Earth rotates on its axis just over 360 degrees in one day. The speed the Earth is spinning isn’t even static, it is affected by the gravitational pull of the moon (and other geological events) and is therefore slowing down ever so gradually.

Speaking on a societal level, the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 has certainly proved that the structure of our everyday lives is incredibly fragile. A virus, invisible to the naked eye, has wrecked absolute havoc on just about every dimension of existence. It has stolen jobs from us, created financial ruin, divided us politically and spiritually and taken many, many lives. It has called everything into question: How do I go to work? How do I bury my grandmother? How do I get married? Should I have a child? How do I protect myself? How do I protect my neighbor?

These questions were not asked nicely of us, they were thrust upon us, much to our surprise and dismay. What I have observed is that despite the chaos, most of us have adapted to this new way of life. We began staying home when we were sick. We started quarantining when we thought we might have the virus. We started working from home, social distancing and wearing masks to protect ourselves and others. While this has been far from perfect, we have changed.

Change is integral to our survival as Homo sapiens. If we do not change, we will die. Whether physically or metaphorically, the conclusion remains the same. Change alone does not guarantee life, but it can pull as back from the brink of destruction and orient us towards what we need to do to thrive.