The herpetologists – students of reptiles and amphibians – certify that the snake that does not change its skin, dies. The same is true of spirits that never change their minds or habits. In the end, they die of starvation, under the tyranny of conformity. A life lived indoors, with our schedules, our limited spaces, our tranquillity, our habits… make life grey and insipid. Routine anaesthetises the thrill of the search, the desire for novelty.

It is not only legitimate but also necessary to change ideas and explore new horizons. We know, change is hard, but it is necessary in order to evolve as people. Change is a sign of spiritual vitality and promotes personal growth. Ancient Latin wisdom held that it is wise to change one’s mind. Let us not be afraid to talk to a stranger, to change a habit, to wear a new jumper, to visit unknown places, to read new books? Encountering what is different is the beginning of inner enrichment and solidarity.

However, in order to change one’s convictions, it is obviously necessary to have an authentic one. This is what Miguel de Unamuno meant when he said that “most of those who think of changing their minds have never really had any”.

Because many change for convenience, as happens to politicians who aspire only to sit at the table of power or to businessmen who only seek their business… Or for convenience, as happens to those who have no certainty whatsoever and abandon themselves to the drift of fashion. Or even out of laziness, as happens to those who abandon their faith because it is easier for them to change religion than to change their brand of clothes.

For a believer, change is vital. The foundation of true faith is conversion, which implies changing the path, reversing the route, changing the mentality, taking risks. We tend to cling to a comfortable set-up because, however jaded and boring, it is familiar territory that we are afraid to leave. Faith takes us out of that bubble that defends us from the Mystery of God.

Let us avoid being slaves to the habits that make life itself grey and flat. But let us also avoid falling into the nets of the frenzy of change at all costs. Let us strive to find reasons that justify to ourselves and to others why we make certain choices rather than others. Let us be prepared, just as firmly, to change our convictions when they prove to be inconsistent, doubtful, weak or perhaps wrong.

In the midst of these concerns, let us ask God, with Alcoholics Anonymous, to help us to accept the things we cannot change, to change the things we can change, and to know the difference.

 

Juan Carlos cmf

(PHOTO: rawpixel.com)

 

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