Friday, May 14, 2010

I would give you change.

In an election speech made not so long ago, a politician committed himself to change. He promised his people, of the change he would get for them.
The change for the better.
A change of how things work.
A change of the world.

Many a times, politicians, or even students running for high school president may have promised huge changes to their people. Many a times, in election speeches, the phrase "I would give you change", would appear. Is that what they will really give? Is that what you will really get? Is that, a change in others that they are aiming for?

We often make this mistake, that others will change to suit us. We often make this mistake, that change will have come to others yet not to us. We crawl before we walk. We learn numbers before we are able to learn algebra. We must fix ourselves before we can fix others. Like Micheal Jackson once named his song, "Start with the man in the mirror". If you want to make a change in anything, be it something as big as the community around you, or something as personal as your lifestyle, wouldn't the place you have to begin with always yourself? It would never be you parents, your friends, your teachers, or anyone around you. All changes begins with you. It will always be inside out. Not outside in.

Here is a poem that demonstrates this.

When I was young and free and my
imagination had no limits, I dreamed of
changing the world;
As I grew older and wiser I realised the
world would not change.
And I decided to shorten my sights
somewhat and change only my country.
But it seemed to immovable.
As I entered my twilight years, in one last
desperate attempt, I sought to change
only my family, those closest to me, but
alas they would have none of it.
And now here I lie on my death bed and
realised perhaps for the first time that if
only I'd change myself first, then by
example I may have influenced my
family and with their encouragement
and support I may have bettered my
country, and who knows I may have
changed the world.

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