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repost: who are we as we change?

with the advent of autumn approaching, i cannot help but contemplate the beauty of the changing seasons. every leaf that changes color and eventually falls, were the leaves that shaded us from the sun's blazing rays just a few months ago. the chill of the morning tells us a transition is happening here on earth-- such is the progression of life. we grow, and in growing we lose the parts of ourselves that are no longer useful to us. as we evolve, we must do so with the knowledge of our past experiences and the hope of our future endeavors.
which leads me to ask this pertinent question... is change really inevitable? and if so, is it a change of progression or regression? who exactly are we as we change?

being the introspective individual that i am, i often find myself trying to gauge my spiritual growth. i have always believed that positive change is always a good thing and when consciously aimed for, the results are immensely rewarding. i aim to be the person who, just by my presence and actions, can influence others to be better. every one of us should think about how we can reach the Gandhi ideal of "being the change we wish to see in the world." just as Dr. King dreamed that we would be judged by "the content of our character", we too must cultivate those qualities worth emulating -- compassion, service, respect, and an understanding of each other; only then will the trajectory of humankind change.

 as we change, we must do so with an understanding of our responsibility to the planet and to each other. no matter what issues of race, nationality, sexual orientation, and other divisive matters may arise, we must understand that the world changes when we change. if we want to fashion for ourselves a new earth where we let love be the light that illuminates the dark corners of our hearts, we must know that in order to survive as a planet, we cannot continue on the destructive path of hate and fear. we cannot continue the blatant disregard of  ourselves, our communities, and our planet.

 we are all we have.

 so as we change, let us move forward with this truth.

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