Growth

To fear anything is to fear life itself. We are here to experience this life and all that it brings us. We must grow and expand. And yet so many of us fear what change may do to our current state, which is why there is so much complacency in the world.

We are inherently supposed to evolve. To not evolve is to go against nature itself. Our bodies and minds know this to be true. This is why we can’t get enough of the hero’s journey in movies and television and books. We yearn to see friction in the world, for better or for worse. I suppose this is why people love to gossip as well, it is an interest in change. It is ingrained in us. But what we must do is adjust our focus from stories and other people, and place it upon ourselves. Only then can the shackles of boredom and inactivity be broken. Though this does not require any great feat, we’ve held the key all along. We need only turn the lock.

What then prevents us from creating change in our own lives? Comfort. We all grow comfortable over time, but that does not mean that comfort should be settled upon. The throne in Game of Thrones is a good reminder to those in charge to never get comfortable, for something is always afoot. Why should our own lives be any different? We are all the masters of our own kingdoms – that which we call our life – so why should we be allow ourselves to be comfortable? For there is always something afoot in our own lives. Our health can easily deteriorate if not paid enough attention – the epidemic that is sweeping America – our ability to think when not challenged, and friendships when not nurtured. Nothing in life can be left alone, for once it is disregarded, it will cease to be that which it is, no matter how much we think it will remain what we worked to accomplish. The simple adage of “If you don’t use it you lose it” rings true of everything. We work hard to build a home where we can gain comfort, only to have that home fall apart if not tended to, just as an empire unattended will fall. An artist grinds his way to the top of the charts to only to fall to the splurges that come with success, forgetting the work ethic that got him there. Dostoevsky reportedly gambled away all that his books brought in to keep him hungry for the next project. This is the mentality we all must maintain towards anything in life. As Dr. Dre tells Kendrick Lamar on “Wesley’s Theory” “Anybody can get it, the hard part is keeping it motherfucker.”

I’m reminded of the Milk campaign that ran with the tagline, “Always grow. Grow all ways.” which depicted children trying new things to expand their horizons. But growth should not end once we hit adulthood. I won’t go into the conspiracy that the dairy industry is trying to get kids hooked on the white stuff early, but that doesn’t nullify the fact that we should always be growing. No matter who you are. Because it is through growth that we feel the most alive, therefore it should never be feared.