Who Moved Your Cheese?

By Ananya Mukherjee
Singapore

Change is the only constant, the wise men say. Frankly speaking, I don’t care whether they are three nor if they come from the east, as long as I find relevance in their adage. Interestingly, juggling between bouts of intellectual enlightenment, sifting facts from fiction and self assumed indications of progress, I have begun to observe that even change follows a pattern. It is not as unpredictable as we accuse it to be, and interestingly, often fairer than most challenges.

To the fearful, it is threatening, laced with uncertainties and panic of the unknown; to the optimist, it is encouraging; to the confident it is inspiring. But then, any transition that would change your definition of self will not only require consistent modifications in the ordinary business of life, but a complete metamorphosis of your philosophies and actions. Sounds confusing? Let me make it simpler.

When I look back at the things and people that have changed over the years, including my own conscience, I don’t think any of us “changed” as we grew older. Learning through the experiments and experiences that helped us win what we desired and took away what we could not preserve, we clearly became more of ourselves. Through that transition, we started following the pattern that worked best for us. Do you not agree?


People change behaviours that correspond best to their existing philosophies. Inanimate objects wither, wilt and rot to start again. It is strange that we take pride in being “unchanged” through the years. Have we not learnt anything from our mistakes or did no one ever inspire us to be different from following a pattern?


Take a step back and revisit the moments of time that have redefined your life today. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”


Who knows you may be thankful to the person who moved your cheese!