The Power of Change

      The Bible dictionary defines repentance as “a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world”. This view of repentance gives me a completely different outlook on life in general. I imagine it as piece of art that is hung on the wall in your home; you see it every day and know exactly what is painted on the canvas. One day a friend comes over to visit and points out something new, something you had never noticed before. Suddenly the painting means something different to you. This new view doesn’t take away the meaning you once found, it simply adds to the beauty. Change of perspective is empowering and in order to tap into that power we must learn the importance of communication with ourselves and with others.
      In a speech given by Sherry Turkle she speaks about our society’s great dependence on technology. From breakfast, class, in the car, and even time in the restroom, our phones are sending us little vibrated notifications that let us know that we are remembered by someone somewhere in the world. We have developed this idea of never being alone, even when we are by ourselves. We have created a worldwide support system. But we have also started to lose the beauty in silence; the wonder that is discovered in seclusion.
     You all know how much I love a good train ride. It has become a time for self-reflection and deep pondering. Some of my most inspiring and spiritual moments have been while gazing out the window of a train rolling through the countryside. My mind starts to wonder as I think about life; past, present, and future. I reflect on the lessons that I have learned. I dream about my future and imagine how much potential I have to do something amazing. I have started carrying my journal with me. I write down all of these inspiring thoughts that pass through my mind. Writing in my journal has become a way of conversing with myself, a way that doesn’t make me seem crazy. As I record these words my mind becomes enlightened and I start to see the big picture. Just like that piece of art hanging on my wall, the time I spend writing in my journal is my way of studying the art and discovering the meaning it has to me.
      In the speech mention above, Sherry explains, "You end up isolated if you don't cultivate the capacity for solitude, the ability to be separate, to gather yourself. Solitude is where you find yourself so that you can reach out to other people and form real attachments. When we don't have the capacity for solitude, we turn to other people in order to feel less anxious or in order to feel alive. When this happens, we're not able to appreciate who they are. It's as though we're using them as spare parts to support our fragile sense of self. We slip into thinking that always being connected is going to make us feel less alone. But we're at risk, because actually it's the opposite that's true. If we're not able to be alone, we're going to be more lonely". If we never take the time to realize the beauty of the art for ourselves, we would never fully appreciate the beauty that others find in the same piece.
      So you have studied the picture and you have concluded that there is a duck painted on the canvas hanging on your wall. You have come to realize and appreciate the beauty of this duck, so you have invited a friend over to admire it also. The friend comes in and says “what beautiful rabbit”! They begin to point out the ear on the far left and how the mouth comes out in the far right. After a few minutes of studying you begin to see. You start to see the beauty of the art through another’s eyes and then something amazing happens; it becomes even more beautiful. Your mind starts to be enlightened and your view of the painting that you have studied for months has been forever changed.


     In a speech given at Brigham Young University Amy Jenson said "The best conversations that we have often become moments of private repentance, because it is often during conversations that we change our minds, find a new path, or decide to do better” . Conversations with others are so incredibly crucial in our quest for change. That which we learn from others truly liberates us, setting us free from our own pre-conceived perceptions. We receive lessons that are the guide posts on our journey through repentance. Without the views and opinions of others we would forever be stuck on the side of the road and forced to look at the same tree on the other side of the street; never gaining the opportunity to see the forest a few blocks down.
     The world is full of different perspectives, each bringing something new and incredible to the picture. I’ve learned that if I truly want to understand the different perspectives of the world I must first understand myself. I’ve started to see how destructive technology can be in my life. It not only distracts me when I am with others, but it is also an easy form of personal entertainment, preventing me from letting my mind entertain myself. I’ve made it a personal goal to choose when, where, and how technology can enhance my conversations rather than destroy them.
      Conversations catalyze change. Meaningful conversations with ourselves, paint a beautiful picture; meaningful conversations with others, expand our horizons. Change of perspective is empowering and in order to tap into that power we must learn the importance of communication with ourselves and with others; the combination of which can truly change the world.