Rough, high wind. Torrential rain. Temperatures dropping. No power. One of our most distressing anxieties is our fear that something will change. We are creatures of habit and comfort. Typically, we dread the unknown—we want to know what to expect and prepare for the worst. A change in the weather can be deeply unsettling. We’re like creatures who don’t know whether to graze till the last minute in the sunshine or seek shelter in a barn. Do we hammer home the storm windows or will the weather warm up again? In the workplace, change tends to be deeply stressful. In relationships, a change of heart can be devastating. So, yes, things keep changing throughout our lives. The very act of living implies change. But while things do change, it’s also true that their essential nature do not change. Mathematics is an example of that: one plus one equals two and always will. Color is another: blue and yellow make green. The cycles of nature remain constant: summer turns into autumn and then winter comes. When the storm rages around your house, try to feel the unchanging stillness that is at the heart of any change.
