A Chance to Change

Transcript

Extending them to the far reaches of the universe and beyond.

Let’s talk about a chance to change. I was thinking about living in Asunción Paraguay and I was on the bus headed to shades the biggest market in the country.

And I was waiting to get off the bus and someone blocked the door and said they just had to stand there or something like this.

As I waited for her to get off, I noticed something unusual was happening. Someone at my right tried to reach into my pocket and I turned to him and asked “what are you doing? What is happening here? Are you trying to rob me you thief?”

And he feigned interest and said he was looking at his phone that he had switched to his other hand. Just playing with his phone the whole time. I got off the bus and noticed the man behind me was also unraveling the knot of my bag and backpack so he could take it and my belongings. Luckily I was aware to respond and let them know they wouldn’t be stealing with me today.

This sort of stuff happens a lot all around the world so I started to take certain precautions like pants with zippers on the pockets.

Making sure I carry my bag on front in public transport, things one must do in any part of Latin America.

I thought about this later and said to my buddy Steve, my housemate. I said I thought about it and if that happens again maybe I’ll say something like “what happened to you, when you were born your Mom had such high hopes. She expected so much for you, she expected you to be something great and now here you are. A THIEF.

Why are you like this?

My friend Steve said People like this don’t change.

I said yes that’s probably right. If I said that to him he probably wouldn’t but you have to give people an opportunity to change. In this case, Perhaps a rebuke is needed for trying to put his life in a certain context or reframe his actions to being a disappointment not just the act of an opportunistic man.

Now I wonder, of course we can give others a chance to change in these scenarios.

I wonder what would it look like if we gave ourselves a chance to change?

What kind of conditions would be necessary? Perhaps not a rebuke, perhaps the opposite, a lack of judgement and awareness of ourselves. Belief in ourselves that we are ca[abnle of something better, at least something small and a relaxed awareness of ourselves.

A space to transform, a space where we are free to transform and make mistakes and embark on a new path perhaps. As in the case of these men and women trying to steal from me, perhaps we might change our lives in a very radical directions if we give ourselves that opportunity. What does it look like to give yourself a chance to change?

What does it feel like to have that opportunity? Where might it lead?

Thanks for thinking about the conditions necessary for change. Thank you for going easy on yourself and thank you for motivating yourself to do something different, to explore the greater realms of your being previously unknown.

Not given but revealed as if they were always there. Now you know you.