Rumi’s Reflections: Alison Wem’s Journal – Day 8

Yesterday I was clever,

So I wanted to change the world

Today I am wise,

So I am changing myself

Jalal al-Din Rumi

There is much talk about the world entering the age of Aquarius which will bring much change. To me, we seem to be a world in change already. The pandemic paused the world’s population for many months bringing about changes in where people wanted to live and how they wanted to work. Change has continued at a brisk rate with war in the Ukraine demanding nations speak to each other and collaborate, the economic ripple from the war is causing financial challenges in public services, companies and for individuals.

Change is very much the theme of today which makes this particular Rumi reflection resonate with me so much.

If you read the media headlines you would think that change is only orchestrated by leaders of nations and corporations. For me, real change happens at the grass roots level. It happens when each of us makes a choice in how we want to live our lives. The cumulative affect of our choices is what will change our world.

Want a better world?

Change for the good begins with you and me and every other individual in humanity. Be wise and choose one life value which would help you to be a better version of yourself. Then live it in all you say and do.

I chose total honesty. This included my interactions with my family, friends, colleagues, neighbours and anyone else I came in contact with. But it also included such things as my income statements to the Tax Office, expense claims and anything else where society asked me to self regulate my honesty.

Imagine what a world would be like if everyone you came into contact with did what they said they would do.