Have you changed your mind – how is that OK?
Yes, we’ve changed our minds—many, many, many times.
What we loved to do,
see,
eat,
buy
or even experience
one month ago, ten or twenty years ago…
might be different today.
Gasp!
Is it OK to change your mind?
I’d say “yes” – but then I’m the kind of person who embraces change as an opportunity. Usually. I reserve the right to change my mind in certain cases, about certain things.
When I’m with our little granddaughter, she delights in the colors purple and pink. Will she change her 3-year-old mind about her favorite colors? Probably. And that’s OK.
What about people? Do we change our minds about who we like or don’t like – who we appreciate and don’t appreciate – who we’re concerned over or who we trust? Maybe.
Maybe we should change our minds.
Sometimes we grow in understanding.
Growth in understanding changes our minds.
Over 35 years ago I’d locked my keys in the car, in the Canadian winter, with my 6-month-old daughter in a stroller in a deserted downtown area that wasn’t known to be a safe place. The car was still running with the keys in the ignition. No cell phones then.
A heavily tattooed man with shaggy hair and rugged, not-too-clean clothes approached me. No one else was around and I was apprehensive… I’d been brought up, warned even, to keep myself away from people who appeared like that man.
But you know what?
My understanding shifted when that man went out of his way.
He trudged through the snow and slush to a nearby bar, brought back a metal clothes hanger, bent it straight, shoved it down between the window and the door… and unlocked my car.
That man, with his tattooed face and hands, pierced eye-brow and gauged earlobe, had compassion on a stupid young woman, responsible for a baby. He saw a need and helped me.
And his actions changed me. I grew up a little, right then.
However, maybe I needed to go onward with that lesson… I’m still learning and growing. Changing my mind. A further lesson changed my mind – click here to read – this experience happened in Fort Myers when we were living in our RV. I wonder how the public library there faired after hurricane Ian? Hmmm.
Growth brings change.
Do you have any experiences that changed your mind? How was it OK?
(Even if it wasn’t a good change. I have those too.)
Leave a comment and tell a bit of your story – maybe it’ll change our minds too…
PS – not every change is good. Some are brutal. Others we would never, ever choose. Some changes shift our minds and hearts in ways that are not healthy or sustaining. There are changes that push us into despair. NOW is the time to reach out to someone if you feel your heart and mind dwelling on a change that is too heavy to bear. Now. Call someone. Dial “988” in the United States – here’s the website: https://988lifeline.org/ You are not alone in this. There is a “next” after this change and it may be OK, somehow. Talk with someone now.
You can download the image in the picture above by clicking HERE.
and if you’re interested, there’s a short video of me making this tag – it’s part of a #50stackchallenge with other junk-journalers – click here to go to YouTube!
