Long post ahead: I gave a younger ΦΜΑ brother advice this morning about impending change in our lives; here is an excerpt: ...It isnt easy to deal with change, but you are correct: change is inevitable. Its also a constant, and it makes everything a variable. And we tend to fear what we dont know. But it is our reaction to change that we can control. The past is a beautiful place to visit in your mind, but your mind cant live there. It must live in the present so you can savor each moment that you live and breathe. And somehow, the future is determined by our past and present. If you miss your brothers, reach out to them. If you miss your friends from marching band, you can always find them and say hello...There will come a time where you get to my place in life where you will have spent more time as a Sinfonian than you did as a non-Sinfonian (aka, your childhood and teen years). And you will find it is all in what you make of it...Reach out to those you know you can rely on to be your friends as best as you can. Hold to them! If you do, youll find that youve made the best of the eternally marching drum of time. You have your own legacy that is just beginning, and the end of your pledge process was never meant to be the conclusion of your education. Keep learning all you can, my little brother. Im not done learning, either - and its still one heck of a ride. While not everyone reading this is a Sinfonian, there are trials or rites of passage we all go through as members of the human race. We can all relate to the rites of change. And I do pray often, but most often it is only the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. It is not to be mistaken for giving up on hope; rather, it is about picking your battles wisely (one of several revelations that occurred to me while on the island of Crete in 2012). As each of you go into 2015, my dear friends, consider the future. It is full of change, and that change can be downright scary. But consider deeply that you do steer the ship of your destiny to a large extent. You are the conductor of your spirits orchestra, and the composer of the score. Life is a big choose-your-own-adventure story like the ones I grew up with - whats on that next page may be good or bad, but once youve seen it, theres no turning back. So turn the page again...what melody will be heard on the next page? Could be a great learning experience, for another Cretan revelation is that we are never done with our education! Fair seas to you all! Hugs always.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 17:53:32 +0000
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