I’ve been thinking about a weighty concept of late. I’m not sure what it is that prompted me to dwell on such a heavy topic, but…here goes. So; if the only way to empathise with someone is to imagine yourself in their shoes, well howabout I ask you all to close your eyes for a moment. Now let’s imagine. Let’s conduct a little hypothetical exercise, and put ourselves in the shoes of a murderer or a liar or a cheater. Is that a bit of a stretch? Yes? Ok, so now howabout we imagine ourselves to be…someone who’s a bit less evil-y. Maybe someone who is prideful, lustful, egocentric, narcissistic or the littlest bit envious. Now then…let us imagine that we are at the end of our rope, wanting to change, wanting to become a better person, if not for ourselves then for our family and friends. Yet we do not know how to change. Do you think such a person realistically exists? Someone on the cusp of changing for the better, but not there yet? If we’ve been brought up a certain way, and then find out we don’t like the way we’ve lived previously, can we change? Even if we have the capacity to, does making a complete 180 degree change make sense, and is the cost of losing our worldly relationships worth it, or too great? The world may say that what you are right now, and what you’ve grown up as, is what you are for eternity, and there is no room or margin for alteration; as in there is nothing in the world that can make you, or persuade you to change your behaviour, or change the reason for your behaviour. But is that really the case? Can a person who has made bad choices really change for the better? Can they be an inspiration to others and provide hope and encouragement, even when they still struggle with their demons and their better judgement?
