Thursday, September 27, 2007

Change

Nothing is carved in stone. Even if it was, there is no guarantee that something stronger than stone would not break it. The Iron Curtain crumbled, Myanmar may yet be free.

But when it comes to little things, for people like me, who take comfort in the familiar, changes are always regarded with a certain dread. I prefer the tried and tested restaurants, the old familiar songs, the company of old friends, the same flow-chart to life’s tests, and I like the well-trodden roads. I like the certainty of knowing what I can and cannot do, and to a certain extent, I appreciate the restrictions that society puts on us, so that we cannot do everything that we want to do. This could sound extremely restrictive and could very well be the antithesis to progress. But in things that don’t have serious repercussions, I like being stuck in my well-loved rut. Listen to Keane’s ‘Everbody’s changing’.

You say you wander your own land
But when I think about it
I don't see how you can

You're aching, you're breaking
And I can see the pain in your eyes
It's as (if) everybody's changing
And I don't know why.

So little time
Try to understand that
I'mTrying to make a move just to stay in the game
I try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody's changing
And I don't feel the same.

You're gone from here
Soon you will disappear
Fading into beautiful light
'cause everybody's changing
And I don't feel right.
Everybody's changing, And I don't feel the same……

Postscript: I wrote the post trying to focus on the changes in language, the use of short forms, the vowel-less words, the now-validated obsolence of the hyphen, even some Mizos wanting to replace 'T' with 'Tr' etc(My dad should have taught me how to type it). I wanted to protest about it, but I sounded so feeble, and I got distrated by Keane's song, so none of the original thoughts went into the post. Just so you know :)

10 comments:

Calliopia said...

I'm the same...hate change too. My teacher at school who also happened to be our dorm matron used to call me an "old stick in the mud" :P

rotlingpa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
diary said...

Yeah, some changes are necessary but they're a pain. Our emergency department is shifting to a new building and all of us are cribbing about it right now :p

Mizohican said...

Even Ozzy's "Changes" makes a lot of sense :)

We all gradually change, each and every passing moment. The question is, are we changing for the better or worse? Which direction are we changing, forward or backward? Such questions do arise in my mind every time I look back at my life that seems to disappear at the blink of an eye.

diary said...

Hi illusionaire, good to see you're back.

Yep, change is a part of life, that's why I resist it so much :p. We progress in some fields and regress in the others I suppose. It's difficult to make the right moral decision, but when it comes to choosing the right restaurant for example, old is gold :) Just doing my bit to prevent change!

avena said...

The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret.

-Henny Youngman
..............
change is life

"Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour:
England hath need of thee: she is a fen
Of stagnant waters: Altar, sword and pen,
Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower
Have forfeited their ancient English dower
Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;
O raise us up , return to us again,
And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power!

- William Wordsworth, writing in 1802 long after Milton's death :D

Mizohican said...

lolz, nobody can prevent change. Its a part of life, and the sooner we accept it, the easier it will be to get accustomed to it :)

diary said...

Aven, get married, we'll let you in on the secret:)

@illusionaire....call it innate stubborness :) But I'm not anti-change about everything, just things within my control. When some things are beyond your will, it's better to simply shrug your shoulders and adjust. Otherwise it's just banging your head against the wall. I admire people who constantly change themselves, whose taste and ideas morph all the time, I just don't want to be them :)

avena said...

diary shall we put an advertisement like this in matrimonial column :))

"Guitar, for sale....... Cheap....... ....no strings attached." :)))

rotlingpa said...

Motley Crue--- Time 4 change

I heard some kids telling me
How they've lost all the faith in the way
They've been talking world peace
And the wars in the streets

The lines on their faces so deep
A revolution, or reach out
And touch the day
We're overdue, child

Change
Now it's time for change
Nothing stays the same
Now it's time for change

I feel the the future in the hands
Of our youth will be safe
No more lies
Old, tired fools tell our future
With tarot cards, and lie of crime

I'll change
I'll change
Not tomorrow but today

@aven Zonu magazine ah Bachelor of the week tiin i thlalak nen kan chhuah tir ve zawk mai dawn em ni?