Article by Wendy McCance
It’s been over 20 years since I’ve graduated from high school. What a crazy thing to ponder. How did it happen that so many years have passed? In 20 years so many things have happened in my life that I barely recognize the high school kid I once was. I see life now from such a different angle that I’m not sure I could even fit back into the shoes of the kid I once was.
I know this is going to be an odd observation, but it’s the best way I can present this idea. I listen to music a lot. These days because of YouTube, I will watch videos from concerts when I listening to some of my favorite music. I’ve always been a concert lover and being able to people watch, see what’s happening on stage and everything else that’s happening while listening to the music is just fun.
What I’ve been noticing is how drastically some of my favorite performers have changed over the years. Brent Smith (Shinedown), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) have not just changed because they have aged, but, their weight has fluctuated, their hairstyles have been altered and the look on their faces show the wisdom they have attained over the years. Because they are artists, you are privy to the lyrics which reflect what is going on in their soul as well.
The reason this observation is so interesting to me is because you can visually see the changes that have occurred over time in their lives. There is evidence that changes took place. They are different people than who they were when they first began their musical journeys. It’s there in the way they look, and act and the words they now sing.
These are people who have lived a full life, good or bad. You can see it in their eyes and reflected in their stance. They exude a confidence that wasn’t present early in their career. You can literally watch the transformation by watching videos of their career over the years. It’s fascinating.
So, I sit here and think about this knowledge I have attained and think about Facebook (of all things). What a remarkable platform to watch the transformation of the people who are closest to you. You can observe the changes over the years simply by the photos posted, the words they express and the things they are up to.
Yet, here’s the part that discourages me; a good majority of the people I know on Facebook have remained stagnate. My guess is, either changes have occurred around them and they are to scared to take the leap and adjust, they don’t recognize change as it occurs or they are too comfortable to get uncomfortable for a while so they can grow.
How many of you have seen pictures of people who look like a mirror image of their high school self? Sure they look older, but the hairstyle and clothes are the same and they haven’t really done much that’s too remarkably different than their high school days. I wonder, who do you know these days that look or act completely different or have done something with their life that you would never expected them to do?
Point is, in this small life of ours, why aren’t you changing? Change is good not something to feel threatened by. Change is what allows us to experience more of the world and have a better understanding of who we are as individuals. Change is what makes us interesting.
So the question is, have you changed? How well do you recognize your high school self? Could you fit into those shoes again easily or would you struggle to recognize the person you once were? What are your thoughts?
Personally I don’t believe in those who haven’t changed. What are they hiding from themselves or from others. What makes them so afraid that they can’t live a more authentic life? These days I gravitate towards the brave not the cowards. I want to surround myself with the people who aren’t afraid to be who they are and share it with the world. It’s a beautiful way to live.
Wendy McCance
To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]
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Hell yes as we age we change, our thoughts on things change because we know more, our outlook of life changes as we learn more and become more comfortable with who we are, anyone who says they haven’t changed are in my opinion fooling themselves or just out right lying