Unchanged Places

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged

to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."

Nelson Mandela

The process of personal development can last a life time, sometimes unfolding like a gentle lotus flower while at others, harshly ground to a pulp.  The past is to be a reminder of the strength we have developed and the future as a land of possibility.

As imperfect beings, we try to do our best and gain insight as we stumble down our path.  It is fruitless to compare our lovely selves to others, as they are honing individual skills that may not be parallel to ours.  That is not to say we remain strangers, but to encourage and support each other as we journey forward.

There are times our paths double back and we revisit places we have held dear or experienced a lesson on the cutting edge.  Either way, we find ourselves noticing how things seem off or different.  When we listen and observe with an open heart, we come to recognize that we are the change.  It is neither right nor wrong, just an alteration of the self.