Will a change do you good?

Throughout the course of history there have been a great deal of smart people. I take that back... brilliant people.

The same human gene pool that is responsible for terrible things like war and poverty and anything to do with late 1980s glam rock also can be credited for amazing things like solar energy and MRI machines and Honda Civics. Suffice it to say, we have been destroying and creating things since the first humans rubbed two sticks together.

There have also been some truly incredible ideas and philosophies that have been passed down through the halls of time. Such wisdom covering topics like survival (stop running with those scissors), health (a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips), and morality (if you don't want it done to you then stop doing it to others). Most of these are pretty right-on and have contributed to the evolution and development of all kinds of societies. There is one pithy saying, however, that might be worth some discussion.

"A change will do you good."

Now, let's be honest. Most of us have uttered these six words at some point in our life. Usually, it corresponds with a situation where we are experiencing some chaos or disequilibrium in our life and the best thing we can think of is to get outta Dodge as quickly as possible. The idea is that if we can distance ourselves from whatever is momentarily plaguing us, we can catch our breath and recover and all will be right with the universe until it is time for another change to do us even better.

The problem, as I see it, is that all change does is extract us from one scenario and plop us down into virgin territory where we are likely to face the same issues from a whole different perspective. The change we make has potential to be a catalyst for a better life, but it should not be the ideal we seek. Really, all a change does is give you an opportunity. If we are honest, we could just as easily argue that "a change might do us ill."

I propose the new statement should be this... (cue the drum roll but then be prepared for disappointment). "Improvement will do us good!" Now, right about now you are likely thinking this is so elementary and self-evident that it really goes without saying. I will concede that point, but than ask why isn't the expression "an improvement will do us good"?

Because improvement takes effort and time and work and is messy. Improving our situation entails more than packing up and switching zip codes. Improvement acknowledges that our problems might actually follow us to said zip codes. Improvement says the problem could actually be us and not Kansas. What changes do we need to make in our life? What support network do we have to rely on? It might be difficult, but it can be done.

Do we see hope at the end of the tunnel or just more tail lights from our rearview mirror as we flee another situation in a desperate attempt to simply change our way out of a bad time?