GOT ANY CHANGE?
Saturday Nov. 1, 2014
The day and night of the dead is over.
Living resumed.
Here. Now. Would you agree that 7-billion citizens of earth want change? Or, if not change, then continuous improvement? Even if it is glacier-slow minute incremental change, we want that don’t we? Sure, we want a cure for Ebola to be accelerated. But with most things, we do not seem to be in a hurry notwithstanding incredibly obvious pain, suffering, strife and loss of life …
Someone said, “a change is as a good as a rest”. Cute, but not my view.
"Change is essential, inevitable, obvious, devious, dangerous and exciting, And likely the only thing worth living for or dying for.” – Mark Kolke, Nov. 1, 2014
Consider this:
- the next great change in society could be started by you, or by me, or by someone we know
- the next great change in society will transform life as we know it
And, if we are capable of that, why not us?
Why not you?
Why not me?
Why not be change?
You might argue that the task is too large or that we are insufficiently qualified, educated or motivated. I say bull feathers, fizz-fuzz, hooey, malarkey …
Two quotes from Margaret Mead underscore and, I believe, reinforce my viewpoint: “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” and, “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Looking for change? “To begin, begin.” – William Wordsworth said
What a wonderful name he had – combining words and worth. Fortunately he was a gifted writer, a wordsmith of incredible talent. What about you, do you have talent? Do you have ideas, angst, problem solving capability – or do you just know a better way to plow the field of possibility with oxen or with moxy?
The beginning of everything that begins had to begin somewhere. Things already begun were begun by someone and you can’t begin them. But for something that’s never been begun before, that field is wide open …
At opposite ends of our spectrum, consider the case of Apple, users lining up to buy a new product even though their previous iteration works just fine … juxtaposed against those who strive to find peaceful living in the middle east.
Hundreds of years from now, I’m sure Apple will have long been eclipsed by others sporting the same model of breakthrough products to put the Jetsons to shame … and radio broadcasts will start with, “today, in the Middle East, _______ shelled ______.”
In evolutionary terms we humans are still infants, our society so preliminary compared to how it might be in a few tens of thousands years more. Between now and the next ice-age, will the war-ing DNA of those cultures change? Probably long after we evolve to lose our fifth toes through ill-fitting shoes.
My point, is that we have a choice of writing off so many things to ‘nothing I can do about it’ or we can determine that we WILL do something about it.
Face it, most of us have a few decades at best to change the world and then we are grist for the mill, sand for the beach, dirt added to dirt or just ashes blowing in wind.
So, sit on your lumpy bumpy log, or change?
Your choice, and mine, to make your life worth something, or not. Worth remembering isn’t so important is it? Someone notable gets their picture in the paper for a day. Or two. Or three. We measure their lives, their impact, their press clippings …
Was the world different or better because of their life on it?
Did they take-up change, or just take up space?
Those of religious after-life fervor might act because they expect to be judged one day at the entry gate to an infinite amusement park. Those without such belief might say, “who cares – my life won’t matter much anyway, so I might as well enjoy every hedonistic pursuit possible” (not a reference to Jian Ghomeshi’s troubles .. but it could be).
Life’s brevity is reinforced for us each day in countless ways. And each day, we have one less day to live. One less day to give. One less way to make a difference. It doesn’t have to be that way. Can’t we just do a really great day, earn those frequent-something points and extend the quality of our stay if not its duration?
Who needs change, aches for change, depends on change – and wait for change to arrive?
The number of us who can make change is enormous. I think everybody can. So, if we can get our head around that, why are we not all making change?
Yes, I know, most of us are not bleeding-edge thinkers, scientists and social change artists, change agents, change makers and beggars for change. We beg in boardrooms and on street corners. Too often, I believe, we are asking someone else to change, make change or give us their loose change.
The persons who need to change are just two.
You, and me.
Mark Kolke
column written/ published from Calgary
morning walk: 2C/36F, fuzzy (mist, fog, cloud?), a gray day. Gusta has no clue that it is ten days till her vacation starts (11 till mine does!) so sniffing every corner of the trail we walked became her mission, her dream to taste wild rabbit that comes from smelling where they’ve been nearly came true this morning. Leash tightly held and strain on my rotator cuff saved a bunny from certain trauma or sudden death …
