Like it or Not: The Omnipresence of Change
We try to match it with avoidance, but it is here to stay
While the following scenario has declined somewhat due to the universality of cashless forms of payment, I still need you to place yourself there to be better positioned for what is to come. You are at the store. It can be any store, selling any type of foods, goods, or wares. You have cash in your pocket and pay with it, handing the cashier (or, the self-checkout device, as I realize it’s 2025) paper money. The routine transaction is completed with your receipt of change, which usually comes in some sort of combination of bills and coins. We may mutter some words of annoyance at the amassment of coins that are bound to end up in a copious number of places ranging from pockets to various compartments in the car to the tops of dressers, and little containers that have been repurposed for the collection of coinage. We try to avoid change with the utterance of, “just a second- I’ve got change for that”, which can even throw the most experienced of cashiers into a perturbed state. Remember the voracity with which we hate change- the penny will no longer be minted after early 2026.
As I walked from the lot towards my classroom this morning for the final day of school, I took a moment to glance around at the conglomeration of buildings that would soon meet the demolition crews. A feeling of nostalgia began to creep into my mind with the realization of how different the campus would look in a few short years.
“But wait! I’ve only been here three years! These buildings have been here since my parents were in grade school!”
I struggled to explain why I’d be missing buildings in which I’ve never held class, and only manned one post before school two years ago to dutifully keep students from vaping in the bathroom. My first thought was the combination of the muggy and gloomy morning that happened to coexist with Blink 182’s “I Miss You” playing on SiriusXM this morning as I parked my car. That’s the simple answer, but the reality may be is more complicated.
Much like our attempts to avoid change when purchasing things, we try to avoid it in our daily lives as well, due to its varying levels of annoyance. I have several colleagues that are moving classrooms this year, and while a new classroom itself is not the reason for vexation, it’s not only the idea of the work involved with the change but also leaving a familiar room where they may have taught for years. Knowing the little quirks with the HVAC system, which side of the room gets the best sunlight, and even the colleagues and friends being left behind- that’s where the change gets a little personal.
When looking around and seeing the change pile up, we react with utter frustration, such as when a grocery store where we’ve shopped for years decides it’s high time to rearrange the aisles, putting things in random places where we would never expect them to be. We wander around aimlessly, lost in a place that was once familiar- seeking a nearby employee to help us find what used to be right where we stand. It is possible to imagine traveling to a new city, whether it be a permanent move or for a simple visit- and are quickly met with airtimes of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune in a reversed state.
Fear is an emotion that often seems to tag along with change, whether or not it was invited to do so. Change very often brings about the unknown, and we tend to fear the unknown with the same ferocity as heights, public speaking, death, or in my case…giant squids. When change happens, our routines are often altered- those we may have had for many years are suddenly tossed aside like a junky spam E-mail, and we are forced into compliance with whatever newness has arrived. It is the cause for a disturbance, which leaves us feeling…well…disturbed. Massive changes such as death, relationship break-ups, job separation, and others in which we fear staring into an unknown abyss are those which are most dreaded, as the gargantuan upheaval leaves us feeling vulnerable and unprepared.
Here comes the classic plot twist…but all must remember that change can actually be a very good thing. A job separation can lead to the job we’ve always wanted. A breakup can lead to a new relationship with a soulmate, and a move can result in meeting new friends, exploring new places, and a well- needed and deserved breath of fresh air. A change from which we cowered could wind up being the best thing that ever happened to us. This coming school year, I will be teaching an introductory Speech and Debate course, a course that hasn’t been offered on our campus in a decade and a half. The course is mine to build, teach, and if done well- I can build a true culture around it and have a thriving program on campus. Am I nervous? You betcha. Is this a new reality that I’ve never seen before? Yup. Nervousness is to be expected, but with next year being my tenth in the district- I know that I have the inherent ability, and the support of my colleagues and superiors to make it happen.
Let’s close out by coming back to that annoying change that we amass after daily transactions. When it builds up and up and up, we can soon gather it all together to bring to the bank and realize just how much money we really have. Those little occurrences of change have conglomerated into a huge payout now that we’ve decided to put the change to good use. Even better? Upon fishing through our change, we find that rare coin that happened to make its way into our collection, one where its value alone has the potential to be life-altering. This one piece of change, even though we may have looked at it dismissively at one point, has the potential to bring riches beyond our wildest imagination. If viewed properly, change can be the best thing that ever happens to us- we simply need to know to look at it through the lens of its potential- at which point we learn to embrace, collect, and find value in each and every change we encounter in our walk through the twists and turns of life.