We are always learning. Life-long learning may sound like a fad that suggests the need to learn a skill in every point of your life. But above and beyond that, I think learning is something that happens everyday anyway. Oh, that's how to insert a landscape orientation into a portrait orientation ms word document. Oh, so that is how long it takes to roast a chicken. Oh, my toe nail peels so often it's making me annoyed with my toe. You get my point.
More than that is this idea of relearning that has intrigued me.With learning, comes schemas, scripts and in a more negative connotation, stereotypes. And these are all results of previous learning. Learning on its own is neutral, what we do with the learning can lean towards positive or negative. And relearning, that's the hardest.
Think of someone you have known for 10 years, or easier, your sibling.Think of how they would react in a situation where someone annoys them.....pictured it? What if one day they react differently from the picture you expected? What would your reaction be? Humans learn, unlearn, relearn and the cycle goes on.
Although learning is challenging; to unlearn and relearn, I think that's a more challenging path.
People change.
They change as they learn in different phases of their life.The question is, can you relearn what you have learnt about them? Are you willing to keep your mind, and more importantly your heart, open to knowing this new, yet so familiar person? Of course, rarely do people change their core unless there's a really radical situation, especially as one gets older. But it doesn't mean they can't change significantly for people to go o.O
I can't say I am the same person I am this time last year, and I know very clearly, I have changed. Which means, those around me would have changed as well, because well, time has its way.
In what way? Not really sure yet to be honest, but I'm challenging myself to relearn them, and to really seek understanding with my heart before saying, "hey, you've changed so much, I don't want to know you anymore ( which is probably the case rather than " I don't know you anymore")
And if that is still the case, despite putting in an authentic heart, then I can walk away with no regrets, saying that I have done my best, we can do better, just not with each other.
A friend once told me, if you walk away, walk away leaving it better than before. And sometimes, that's all that matters :)
Are you ready to learn again, and again?
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