Change

There is always ground to continue learning and seeing new things. I've learned over the years, not in an easy way, but with many pains, resiliences, betrayals etc. Then again, at this day and age, I've gone past the thinking of knowing it all, because I'm definitely not the miss-know-it-all that I used to be in my 20s. I know, after many lessons in life that times are a changing as I once again have had the chance to remind myself to blog this when I listened to Bob Dylan's song on the radio today - "The Times they're a changin".

As such, I have my mind playing on this tune the whole evening. It so happened, that I had an impromptu meet-up with an old friend, whom to me is like a daughter, friend and a sibling all rolled into one. I've seen her grown up from an awkward child to one who faces relationships and also the corporate world. She's not all there yet due to age and experience. Emotionally, she's in her 20s, and coporate-wise, she's in her 30s. All I can say is that she needs to know herself and not be further torn apart with her emotions and what she has in reality in the current world.

Still, I'm proud to see where she is today, and yet worry for her at the same time for the lack of control of what's going on in the corporate world. For old veterans like myself and many others who have survived the corporate world, we will not fall into the trap of obligation as per my little friend there. However, I understand her sentiments, and I know her frustrations because I'm old enough to look at things with some form of wisdom, hence I still wait for time to guide her alongside with my palatable advice.

It's not too long ago when I've learned to catapult myself into the shoes of different ages... and I'd say, taking on teaching has helped me a whole lot. Having taught young adults and late teengagers, and these days, 6-year-olds and 9-year-olds.... are all the best decisions that I've ever made in my life. All these teaching experiences reminded me to forgive those who are young, and those who will make mistakes and ask innocent and obvious questions. In a sense, it's therapeutic for me, and also liberating for them, as all these experiences in teaching and learning also teaches both them and myself to empathise and learn more of the world. I for example, have relived childhood all over again with new eyes, and liberated many old ghosts while growing up. It's never too late to grow up, I reckon.

Most of all, I've learned to accept flaws and differences which I cannot change in others. This in turn, helped me to understand the child within myself, the many unanswered questions that I sometimes harbour out of disatisfaction and unliberated childhood woes. It seems that it's not all blamed unto the second-child syndrome of mine, but also perception. In view of perception, it's all about choice at the end of the day, and once again, I've been reminded time and again that there's always a 10% variable of the uncontrollable that affects the rest of the 90% of life. I'm still grasping the ropes of reaction and understand the possible repercussions and retributions of a negative reaction. Hence, living life 'well-thought' can make one hell of a difference at the end of the day.

When I think that I've grasped what is the 'thing' to do today, it's already time for it to expire... and I've still peeling my eyes to the signs of times and accept that times are a changin' in which I've to adapt, respect and to accept, whatever they may be, without changing my basic principles. With this, I leave you with Bob Dylan's visionary song:

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road isRapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.