Constantly Changing
- Drew Carcellar
- Jun 20, 2020
- 3 min read
Believe it or not, we irrefutably live in a time of great uncertainty and transitioning. I’m sure that every single one of you has experienced any type of change in your lives. Though it may be simple or something very impactful, these have made a difference with everyone. Think of it like this: in a moment, everything you’ve once known could’ve changed into something brand new.
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future”.
- John F. Kennedy
I’d like to tell you a short story about my life. As most, if not all, of my peers know, I was born and raised in the Philippines. My life revolved around my naivety, academics and dependence on the people surrounding me. When I turned 14, my family and I moved to the US (Los Angeles, CA) because of a sudden change in my parents’ career. I was forced to adapt to something out of my horizons. The first few months were challenging. It was a challenge for me to be able to adapt to a new culture, befriend people who I have little in common with and accept the fact that I moved away from the home I only knew. I’m an introvert so I took a while to adjust and talk to new people. It took me about more than half a semester to get used to the new setting. Believe it or not, I took a long time to open up to the new people I've met and accept this. Looking back to that, I hope to have broken out of my shell earlier on since I missed a part of life. I’ve learned a lot through my experiences and I'd proudly say that it has made me improve in every aspect.
You can never escape change. Our lives, peers and surroundings are constantly changing. Everything is! The pandemic that we are currently facing is the perfect example of how we are living through change. We were once used to seeing numerous people outside, traffic and physical contact. BUT, the pandemic changed everything since we were advised to practice social distancing while staying at home. Our lives, which were formerly surrounded by other people, would change into being contained into the four corners of our homes. Our classes are now done online through means like Zoom and Google Classroom. It is a complete change from the traditional setting that all of us are used to. We were used to giving high fives or fist bumps once we see a friend in the hallway, but these aren't advised in times like these. The pandemic brought about a great change in our community because of its impact on our manners and practices. It has, undoubtedly, forced us to adjust to what many people call the “new normal”.
As JFK states, “Change is the law of life”. Our lives are driven by the changes we have gone through during the entirety of our lives. We can never be too comfortable in our current situation. Though it may be difficult to accept, changing for the better is basically the reality of life. It allows us to constantly improve and be adaptive due to our exposure to different situations. Change makes us stronger as we learn to accept that there is no assurance in life. We must learn to make way for change in order to see growth and greatness. Always tell yourself to look at life at a positive lens, while remaining an optimistic attitude. Life changes, we have to accept it no matter what. As we grow, we face more of life’s trials, make new memories, learn and be exposed to change. We need to refrain from focusing from what we had in the past so we could live in the present and look forward for the future. Changes should be accepted with an open heart and mind. People shouldn't try to stop these or face it with a pessimistic attitude. Everyone should learn to see the wonder that change has brought upon us. There were numerous lessons and key takeaways that we have learned through these changes. I myself am grateful for the changes I've encountered for the entirety of my life. I suggest that everyone tries to have the same mindset too.
I’d like to ask you these questions. Try to keep an open mind while answering these on your own. How has change allowed you to become the individual you are today? What do you envision yourself after all the changes you have encountered? Is there anything you want to change for the better? Once again, remember how change is an essential part of life. We have all faced it and will continue to experience it as we go on with life.
Commenti