Do our animals understand change better than we do?

What is most on my mind today is the thought that as a nation, we are up for some changes.  Or perhaps I should say as a global society, change is upon us whether we like it or not.   

I wonder why we resist it so much.  Our animals don't seem to mind change as long as they feel safe and loved.  They certainly don't fret over making "correct" decisions.  If we take the time to help them feel protected and nurtured, animals seem to adjust to change very well.  We humans are a bit more complicated.  We don't always feel safe and loved mentally, physically or emotionally before and during our changes.  We tend to hang onto the past, because it is familiar and easy.  Sometimes as soon as we get comfortable, our life changes, and we resist.  We forget that that change is inevitable from the minute we are born until the minute we die....change , change change.

So many things around us seem as if they are positioned for change in 2012.  We have become a consumer nation, and as our need and desire for more things increases, our need for simplifying decreases.  We may not feel safe and question whether we have enough.  If we really ponder that question, we might be quite surprised to find that we have more than we really need!

Change is something that is happening everywhere, all the time.  Yet as humans, we seem to resist this notion.  Change somehow equates to letting go and giving up what we already know.  Scary, but also exciting at the same time.

As our economy and our world seem to reflect what we hear in the media and online, I find myself needing to take long breaks from the propaganda, especially around election time.  It helps to listen to John Stewart or other comedians for a quick dose of humor.  Fear seems to be a subtle, but an underlying backdrop in our world right now. Or least that is what we read and hear in the news.

Sometimes I find it difficult to commit to a firm decision. Feeling uncertain about what to do sometimes means that I have a fear of failing by making the wrong choice. Then I find the need to tell myself to imagine things working out.  When I remind myself that any decision I make can lead to greater insights about me and about my life, the decision making process feels easier. 

Sometimes I consider what my life would be like if I didn't act on any difficult choices and always played it safe. Hmmm. Today I have decided to create a community organic garden in my yard to share with friends.  I have raised beds in my garden that I haven't fully utilized in years, so why not enlarge and use this space and share it with others? I know very little about vegetable gardening, but "If not now, when?"  Raised beds with organic vegetables of all kinds, planted and harvested by my circle of friends, I'm going to go for it. I have imagined what I want and how it will turn out, and the answer is Yes!

As I celebrate my decision, I enjoy some time with my dogs and cats. They are always in the moment, and they never play it safe when it comes to the possibility of joy, adventure and love.  They often give me a look that says, "Is there any reason we should not be relaxed and enjoy life?"  I think they are on to something.