Life's Changes

Mmere Dane

A Symbol of Change and Life Dynamics

Mmere Dane is a symbol suggesting how change is inevitable. "Time changes." The turning points of change are usually accompanied by distress or season's of dissatisfaction. Sometimes we wish to embrace change but it doesn't happen as easily as we'd like. We are all born into an environment of change and ride on the winds of change, which is the life dynamic. When we can accept this, our soul surfs the waves of life in peace. The symbol reminds us to flow with life's movements. (http://www.uniquespeakboutique.com/html/gallerylightingadinkra.html)

The world is full of change, thus humans are full of change too. To say that a person does not change over time is to say that they never learn new things or explore new interests. It is silly to think that such a condition is true. Many view change as a bad thing, but that is because they cannot see the beauty of it. When summer dies and winter comes, is this not a change? Is not winter a beautiful thing to behold, to view the world in hibernation, waiting for a new day. And when winter turns into spring and the flowers begin to bloom, and the leaves show off their beautiful vibrant colors, a sign of life, is this, too, not a change? If nature can change, and be so beautiful, then why can’t people change in much the same way? Change is a part of life, and it is something to embrace.

Life is also about relationships, the relationships we have may be with friends, lovers, family, or even animals. And within these relationships, we can witness change in the people we know and love. Though some may feel threatened by this change, it is not something to feel threatened by. It is, instead, something we must learn to embrace, we must observe the changes, and work to understand them. Many times people change due to the environment they are exposed to. Think of college, many young minds come in with their own thoughts and knowledge, but someone comes along and challenges those ideas. The person then changes their way of thinking and viewing things to fit with that of the challenger. The things we learn can change our views. We are constantly changing to fit our environment. When the people we love and hold dear change, we are provided with an opportunity to change with them, to learn more about them, and thus form a stronger connection.

So be not afraid of change, instead, accept it as a way of life, a way of learning. To cast out those who change near you is to cast out opportunities for yourself and is thus a foolish endeavor. We must strive to understand the balance and beauty that change can bring about. Of course, with all things, there are two sides to a story. Thus, change can bring about destruction, and we must learn to recognize such changes. However, more often than not, I would say change is a good thing, and it is something we must be willing to see and accept.

May-dah-say

(May-Dah-Say means thank you in Twi, one of the languages spoken by the Akan of West Africa in Ghana. The symbol above is an Adinkra symbol used by the Akan.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adinkra_symbols, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akan_language http://goafrica.about.com/od/africanlanguages/a/thanks.htm