Change is Good

A couple weeks ago I turned 29 and it dawned on me then just how much my world has changed over the years. I used to hand write everything - poems, letters, diary entries...even essays. And now, in 2010, I can't even imagine writing without my computer - pens & pencils don't cut the bill since I have a keyboard that follows the rhythms of my brain waves.

But that is only the beginning. There is, of course, the internet and sites like Facebook that make you feel like you're connecting with people you never really see. And remember dictionaries? We never use those anymore, we just Google words and, like magic, their complete history appears before our eyes in less than a minute.

It's strange just how evasive technology has been in the past decade or so. It's literally taken over our lives where we can't function without our machines in tow. This blows my mind sometimes and makes me wish I hadn't jumped on the bandwagon so soon. But without all this robotic technology, I would feel strangely out of touch with the world. And that, I guess, is what keeps me hooked.

Change is good. That's what I have to keep remembering. Whether it's a change in technology, a change in a relationship, or even a change in season, there's always something beautiful to attain from it.

You start dying slowly

You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life
when you are not satisfied with your job,
or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice…

Pablo Neruda