Everything changes! Lately I’ve seen reflected in many books that most ancient of profound truths. But also I’ve run into people trying to resist that perspective on existence.
The origin of the resistance seems to be a very human need to accept only the changes we like, but fight the changes we don’t like. Of course, not everyone reacts to life changes the same way. Some people seem more capable of handling change than others.
So what causes the difference? My readings in child psychology and brain development lead me to conclude that for children receiving loving nurturing, their brains develop differently from those who haven’t been nurtured lovingly. But I’ve also learned that it’s possible to overcome such brain development.
Constant change can be turned to a person’s advantage. But first it’s of utmost importance to accept change. An amazing number of problems develop in people’s lives and in history when people try to stop change.
The ancient philosophers from around the Mediterranean regions carried on running, heated arguments about accepting change. The basis for all of that philosophizing was laid during that remarkable 500-year period that has been label the Axial Age, or as Karen Armstrong called it in the title of her deeply researched and inspiring book, The Great Transformation. That 500 years witnessed more profound change, throughout the societies of the planet, than at any other period of history except for our own. So it’s not surprising to find philosophers and religious geniuses reflecting on change in such far flung places as Greece, Israel, Persia, India, and China.
The first Greek philosopher to make the concept of change a key part of his work was Heraclitus (around 500 BCE). He not only talked about the constant flux that kept everything changing, but he also talked about “logos” as the ruling principle of nature (very much like we find at the beginning of the Gospel of John). Plato quotes Heraclitus as saying, “all things pass and nought abides.”
But of course, when I turn to agape, I find the spiritual power that abides. As Paul wrote: “Agape never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Agape is eternal.” (1 Cor. 13:7-8 Today’s English Version). But what agape does for us is give us the spiritual power to deal creatively with change -- to be able to handle change as challenge, and not have to think weakly that changes have to be either good for us or curses. We know from many of our modern philosophers that our best well being is based not on what happens to us but on what we do with what happens to us.
