Change by Whitney Lauber

In society today, both men and women can be seen striving to avert aging to maintain their youthful visage. Botox is being injected into wrinkled skin to tighten the face and make a woman appear younger. Men, on the other hand, hoard hair products to prevent a receding hairline and even baldness. These acts of maintenance to sustain being beautiful in a culture that demands a youthful appearance can be related to one aspect people despise: change. I believe in change because unlike other areas in life, change is inevitable. People change, nature changes, and all of the emotions tightly wound along with those change too.

Looking back at being a child I remember becoming friends with anyone that spoke to me. Innocent as I was, I would have probably given a drug dealer on the street a chance at friendship. But as time progressed my perceptions were altered and people were suddenly labeled in groups: ugly, pretty, rich, poor, fat, and skinny. My childhood playmates were no longer my close companions as I was pushed into a new circle of friends. My life had changed along with my physical image. I stopped wearing mismatched clothes and stopped playing Barbies with the neighbor girl. I had morphed into a young woman who suddenly cared about her looks and reputation. While I had changed then, I will continue to differ in state of mind and body on a daily basis. As one beginning ends, another journey will emerge as I enter the real world on my own. I perceive change to be part of the maturing cycle, symbolizing the validation of my self-worth. Not only does change occur within civilization, modifications are made in nature.

One of the comely aspects of change is Mother Nature. Years ago the very beaches and mountains that comprise our world were made. Nature has shifted since then but still offers us the chance to witness some of these wonders. Living in Nebraska has given me the opportunity to experience the transition of the seasons. In the spring birds harmonize and flowers bloom. Summer days are filled with trickling water faucets and the smell of freshly cut grass. However, these days slowly fade into the array of colors of the leaves that fall provides. Following autumn, nature reluctantly slides into frigid weather and blankets of sparkling snow. All of these variations of nature represent the consistently changing world and the inspiring environment that we live in.

Change will always be a part of society even though people are fearful of an alteration in lifestyle, threats to their security, and rifts in the normal routines of life. If Martin Luther King, Jr. had not believed in change, would America still be stuck in a civil rights dispute? He is just one of the many who desired to see change in this world and transformed that dream into a reality. While one can not change the past, the future is still attainable by the choices one may choose to make. So instead of resisting change, I advise you to go with the flow and make the changes in life optimistic and worthwhile.

I am Whitney Lauber and I believe in inevitable change.