Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing so much as to change the things which are, and to make new things like them.
- Marcu Aurelius

One of my favorite scenes from Forrest Gump is when he’s describing meeting President Nixon, and going to the White House, “A-GAIN”. Of course Forrest Gump travels an incredible epic road of change, only to wind up back in his hometown, A-GAIN, with his childhood sweet heart. Absolutely everything had changed, but in some strange way, many things never changed. This tension between the rushing change of life and enduring memory is at the core of what makes the movie so powerful and endearing.

Meanwhile here on the edge of 2024. - In case you haven’t noticed, things are changing A-GAIN. The pandemic might be over, but now we have inflation and wars and AI, oh-my! Of course this wave of change feels even more incredible than all the previous waves of change - and maybe things are indeed moving faster than ever. Inventor Ray Kurzweil predicted 20 years ago that we’d be entering an era of accelerating acceleration, and it’s increasingly looking like he may have under-estimated the change curve.

Marcus Aurelius, that great Stoic poet of change, keenly observed that our Universe not only swirls with change, but seems to take an absolute pleasure in constant change, using it to bring continued waves of new and surprising gifts. He did not imply that every change is good - but instead took comfort that change was the jester and joker at the door before every monumental event.

Do you sense big and unknown changes afoot in your life and/or in the world around you? That’s great!!! Now is the time to get ready for some monumental changes on a vast and epic scale that Marcus Aurelius would have appreciated, even cherished. 

Nature is getting ready to pour new things upon us like never before. Our job, nothing more and nothing less - is to greet these monumental changes with courage and curiosity, A-GAIN.