“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”
Mahatma Gandhi
The September edition of Aiken Bella and Palmetto Bella are packed full of opportunities for growth and change — changing your mindset, changing your scenery, changing the way you do business, changing the way you spend time with friends and loved ones. If you are ready for change, or want to evaluate the possibility of change, this is the issue for you.
I have changed and reverted back and forth like a ping pong ball over the last 2 years to the point where I am unsure which side of the net I am on. I am not sure it really matters. I think, at this point, I would just like to step off of the court. To focus not on how to change, or when, or who to change into, but to focus my thoughts and heart on who I really am. It seems kind of silly for a 43-year-old magazine publisher to admit this — however, this is my truth. Here is what I know, what remains constant: I love my daughters. I love being a magazine publisher. I love community. I love The South. I love the Divine. I love nature (which is divine). I love coffee (which is also divine). The rest I am sure will grow and change and change again … and I look forward to it.
I was particularly inspired by several concepts in “The Reality of Change,” this month’s article by Jay Earles. He writes, “When faced with radical, unexpected change, change seems incredibly difficult to accept.” “Our lived truth is really that time is change and change is constant.” And “the expectation-reality gap is when what we want is at variance from what we get.” These concepts have sparked wonderful conversations among friends and linger in my mind for me to ponder.
Jane Jenkins Herlong challenges us “to learn healthy skills for dealing with impossible people and circumstances beyond our control when change visits our homes.”
Joan Lacombe reminds us that a few handwritten words can change the world one poem at a time.
Kimberly Cordell suggests heading to the beach for a change of scenery in her article “Paradise in the Pandemic.”
My personal favorite is “Horsemanship vs. Humanship” by John Toli. He decided to take a break this month from the feeding of horses to the feeding of the human spirit. He challenges us to take a look in the mirror, pause and think about the importance of a situation, leave the drama behind, and Be Kind.
Change seems to be the buzz word these days. Change. Innovate. Adapt. Bella writer LaRahna Hughes talks often about how it takes a crisis to create true change and paradigm shifts. At the moment, my speed is more along the lines of changing a candle scent or taking a new path in the woods. Healing the little hurts, a little at a time, makes change less threatening, and gradually change, even bigger change, becomes part of your lifestyle. Whether you are a paradigm shifter or a candle sampler, you will find inspiration within the pages of Bella this month.
May your September hold the right kind of change for you as well as for a kinder, healthier, and happier community.
