Change is Gonna Come

Composing these posts has been an interesting experience. I have lots of content to draw from but I haven’t imposed a particular structure on them. They all, of course, need to present some aspect of seeing clearly, but I want each to stand alone. I’m staying open to the current of the moment. The posts evolve and change as I edit throughout the week. They’re always in a state of becoming, but at some point I have to hit publish. If I kept going another week, they would probably change some more.

Everything is always changing, always becoming. Impermanence is a fundamental aspect of existence. 

I’ve thought and written about this topic a lot, even created a course about it (see Resources). I’m especially interested in how we humans often resist change. Our minds tend to fix things and people into a caricature and we forget that they, like us, are always changing. To see clearly, we must keep that idea front and center, which is what I’d like you to do this week; to see the ebb and flow, as well as the novelty in each day. You’ll see impermanence everywhere once you start paying attention.

"Change happens. Change is definitely going to happen, no matter what we plan or expect or hope for or set in place. We will adapt to that change, or we will become irrelevant." ~ Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown

Last week, I asked you to see the place where you live in terms of a bioregion. Your place is made up of communities of living and non-living things, all in relationship, and in which you are a participant. These communities are constantly in flux, always incorporating the new, while still retaining the past. Your life and the life of your place takes shape by your actions as well as circumstances beyond your control. 

Most of us have been “sheltered in place” for the last year and our circumstances may have changed dramatically, albeit in different ways. I haven’t ventured far from my home since last March and my small, tourist town currently has few tourists. Without them, the town feels different. Animals have come out of hiding. I’ve seen deer, foxes, skunks, and even coyotes. Birdsong is more prevalent. 

At the same time, local businesses are hurting and parents and kids are struggling with new work and school environments. Some are going out to work every day and dealing with new protocols for working during a pandemic. Some are getting sick and even dying of COVID-19. Many are experiencing loneliness, depression, or anxiety. 

Yet, there are also signs of resilience in the face of these changes. In my town, people are checking in on their neighbours and buying locally. Businesses are banding together and getting creative, offering new ways to deliver their goods or services. That doesn’t mean they’ll survive but they’re giving it a fighting chance. There has been talk about envisioning our town so that it doesn’t rely so much on tourism.

This is the current of the moment.

People and businesses need support and ways of dealing with these changes. For those who are caring for others or providing essential services, struggling financially or without a job - I see you. Know that you’re not alone. I hope that you’ll ask for help if you need it. Please reach out to family and friends or find any community or government support that’s available. While it’s important to learn skills for resilience, we can’t always do it on our own. Acknowledging that things are not okay, naming losses, experiencing grief - these are all part of the process of dealing with change. 

For some, the days have become routine, confined, and familiar. I’m trying to stay healthy and minimize harm to others. Some of us (including me) are fine with this scenario, while others may find it more difficult and are longing to get out. Even if you’re comfortable with it, it’s important to inject some novelty into your routine. I received an email from Dr. Lissa Rankin last week about how when every day seems like Groundhog Day, our brains can start to turn to mush. We need change.

In every life, there are ups and downs and extremely difficult times. Sometimes we’re called to care for others, or to take a pause, grieve, find a new job, seek help, or just wait it out. This particular time is difficult on a global level, yet each of us is experiencing it differently. All we can do is respond and adapt to the moment at hand. 

Practice

If your days are fairly routine, how can you inject some novelty, change it up a little? Perhaps you can walk in a new place, do a different form of exercise, or learn something new. You can also literally change someone’s day by the way you treat them. Reach out to someone who is struggling or say thank you to someone deep in the thick of caring for others. How else can you support them?

Or, how can you see the novelty that’s already there in the familiar? Take an impermanence walk, noting things that weren’t there the last time you took this walk or might not be there the next time. As photographer Erica Baum says, “You never walk the same street twice.” See this clip from the movie Smoke for a great example of this. 

You can do this in your home too. Food is one example. It’s constantly turning over. Or, see how your partner is changing or has changed.

Track changes throughout the day from sunrise to sunset. Notice how the light changes and moves.

Notice the seasonal changes. Your place probably looks different than it did six months ago. What do you see that reflects the current season? Imagine how it will look six months from now. 

See the past in the present. A great example is your place’s geological history. Who are the oldest members of your community - whether rocks, trees, or people? Spend some time with them. Imagine what they’ve witnessed that you haven’t. 

Mostly, I hope that you just see how change is ongoing. However, you can take it further by reflecting on how the changes in the past year have affected you, your family, your community, and your place for the better and worse? What is your vision of the future for yourself or your place and what will you do today to begin to shape that future? 

Change can and will happen, with or without you. We are literally all in this together and each of us has something to contribute. So, please share in the comments or on Instagram how you and your community are adapting to and shaping the future in these unusual times. 

Resources

The Science of Mindfulness and Mindlessness - a conversation with Ellen Langer

Celebrate Impermanence - free PDF created by me

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