Changes in Life

As a child, my mother taught my siblings and me to be aware of life changes. Of course, we had no idea what she was talking about or what we were supposed to do to control the changes that life throws your way. One of my early life wishes was to be older, taller, and stronger than my big brother so I could give him a good punch. Life seemed to move too slowly for my friends and me. We wanted to be teenagers, then adults. I kept asking my parents the same question every week, “Why does life move so slowly? I am ready to be a man, although I was only 7. When I close my eyes, I can still see and hear my mother laughing. Little did I know how fast life could change?

Being young, I looked forward to changes I thought I wanted to see. Thinking back on those times I realise I had no idea of what a life change could be. At that time my life changes were things that I wanted, like getting a bicycle, going to a baseball game, or being able to eat an ice cream cone every day. That was life-changing for me. Do you remember your first change in life?

Rudolf Steiner, the early twentieth-century philosopher, and mystic conceived of a theory of human development based upon seven-year cycles of change, each offering its challenges and rewards. He believed If we confront these lessons with courage, honesty, and sincerity, the lessons will be mastered, and our psychological and spiritual development will…