Change: Relating to Everyday Life

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Then after, the group leads to a more delicate topic, as we begin to discuss if the death of a loved one can change someone. Kathy proposes the question and right away Karen, Keith and I agree than it can. In my thoughts Kathy explained the death of a loved one perfectly, “I feel like it’s just, the moment, where you’re stuck. Because like if someone dies, like you like mourn and stuff with your family but as months go by, you go back to your old life.” For instance, I remember when I was twelve both of my grandparents passed away in a car accident, whom I was very close too. At the time I didn’t know what to think and felt there was nothing to live for because I would eventually die, but in the long run I got over that phase and thought of it as a life experience. Kathy then goes into detail about a time when she had a near death experience which left the group into complete awe and shock. She was driving on the freeway and her car got totaled and almost fell down a cliff but she miraculously was able to walk away with no scratches, but it did leave an impression on how she lives her life. But at the same time Karen points out a situation in which a friend died, and that completely changed her view of life. It depends on how close you are to their person, the situation they passed away from and your ability to gain self control and move on that will decide if you change or not.

There is a short pause in the seminar as we all take some time to reflect. We then go on to discuss small changes in everyday life that go unnoticed or seem not to mean that much but really do. For example, I explain how switching from driving to school to walking; the change doesn’t seem to be huge. But when taken into context it is, you’re becoming more environmentally friendly and changing your ecological footprint.

The topic of small changes led to a whole new topic, as Kathy began to discuss small changes when you play sports. For instance, when playing a sport you may run the wrong route, you learn from it after, so you never do it again. I then begin to discuss how you can change the way you play sports if you sustain an injury while playing. This past summer, I was playing basketball and fractured my ankle. It took me a couple months to heal and when I was able to play I didn’t feel the same on the court and still don’t; my body and mindset had changed. For instance, when I jumped instead of only thinking about the ball, I began to think about my ankle and trying to make sure I don’t reinjure it. Although I was back to normal, there was change in my performance due to me having the injury on the back of my mind. Karen, Kathy and Keith agree, saying an injury will always come back to haunt you. Karen states how she had an injury playing basketball when she was younger and has hated basketball since. An injury might seem like a small change once you’re back to normal, but you don’t play the same anymore; it’s hard to go back to your original self.

We all begin to wind down our questions and reactions as we notice the time on the seminar is expiring. But we all feel as if there is so much more to talk about still and how we can take it can be taken into context even more. Although change seems like a simple thing, it is very complex as there are many aspects to it. You can encounter a small change, a big change, a change that is unknown to you for years, a change that you never thought would happen to you and many more. I am now able to see the methodology behind Socrates and why he wanted to learn more and more, never in my life had I thought about change so much not think that I can take it into perspective.

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