I saw a quote from Buzz Aldrin today that I will paraphrase as saying that nothing remains static. People, places and things either evolve or decline. There is exploration or there is expiration. This is such a good reminder at this time of life when many of us are retiring or considering what we will do when we retire from what we have spent the bulk of our adulthoods doing: growing in one particular career field or vocation, and raising our families. Retirement hopefully spells freedom to explore and to evolve even further, in this new, interesting, intriguing stage of our lives.
This is the challenge of anyone’s or anything’s lifetime, correct? It is our choice to evolve or else succumb to inevitable decline. It is our choice to continue to desire experiences and to explore and to be curious about what’s next, and to learn more about our own selves and how to grow. If we have stopped evolving and exploring, then what is the point? This we know: We all have a unique and inevitable expiration date. Still, until that date comes, we can continue to explore and evolve and grow and be curious and learn new things. Otherwise, we just sit on a dusty shelf, already in a state of decline, waiting for the end. Nothing is static. All things are in motion. All people, places and things are either evolving or declining. We can decide the direction of our momentum and the richness of our experiences, all of the way to the end of our lives.
“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But, nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong” — N. R. Narayana Murthy
“All growth depends upon activity” — Calvin Coolidge
“If you are not growing you are dying” — Unknown
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.