Our characters should seek change, whether consciously or subconsciously, in the form of a tangible goal; to acquire a monetary reward, or to escape evil or to do something extraordinary such as to rescue someone, or conversely, to capture someone, or to win a prize or a relationship , or to seek a change in someone or some place the character loves or dislikes, or perhaps even to seek  change within himself. 

     Yet, sometimes, we should remember to be careful what we wish for.

     Change can be scary, and yet it can be exhilarating. The key to finding which type of change works for our characters lies in our own beliefs and values, both as the creator- the writer, and as ourselves in the minds of our characters.

     In fact, in my own current quest for change, I’ve decided to modify the direction in which my blogs will flow -for now, as opposed to the direction they’ve headed over the last four years since I began this creative journey.  Rather than draw material from the experiences and point of view of the adult, I prefer for right now, to drill down into the minds of children, or as adults before we grew up.  After all, that innocent, curious, ‘“ready to take on the world”  point of view should ring true for all of us at one point of our journey and if it doesn’t or never did, that is another topic in itself!

     Most of us carry with us the remnants of our childhood dreams and wishes; they’ve simply faded at the hands of “time villains” who make it their objective to destroy our dreams or change them.  But, luckily there will always exist wise characters who rise from the ashes of their failures or misgivings, to climb the beanstalk toward the unknown once so far out of reach, in spite of the judgement of others, and the doubts or fears within themselves.

    For the next few months, or perhaps longer, my blogs will metamorphose into the dreams of innocence and passions we possessed as children, when “anything was possible”.  Mickey mouse was real and we knew beyond doubt that Santa worked all year long to ensure that we would wake up on Christmas morning to find our hearts desires wrapped around the bottom of our family’s colorfully decorated christmas tree, despite what our older siblings or peers told us.

     For instance, in Virginia Lee Burton’s timeless story; “The Little House”, as children we were drawn into the “mind” of a charming, little pink house that sits on the hill in a countryside she loves.  In fact, her builder pledges that she “shall never be sold for gold or silver and will live to see great-great-grandchildren’s great-great grandchildren living in her”.  As the little pink house watched the countryside around her change through the seasons,  she was happy.  “Day followed day, each one a little different from the one before… but the little house stayed just the same.”  Yet, then, as the reader turns the pages, we find out the little house, despite her happiness, can’t help but feel curious about the city, as she wonders what it would be like to live there. As time passes, we learn that eventually, while the countryside changes through mankind’s perpetual hunger to innovate, improve, and seek change, no one wants to live in her any more, and because “she couldn’t be sold for gold or silver, she just stayed there and watched.”

     Ultimately, as her curiosity about the city was fulfilled, and her desire for change diminished, she decides she was better off the way she was before, in the country where she could watch the seasons turn, and  feel the sun on her shingles. And, as anyone who has read this charming book knows, she is eventually moved from that spot, to a new place on another hill far away, where she once again settles down on her new foundation in the country, to enjoy what she recognizes as a simple and peaceful way of life. The way she lived before change happened. 

     At least until the next bulldozer arrives, since the one thing that will always remain the same is change itself!

     The reason I explore this story as a way to illustrate my contrasting ideas of change, is to illustrate that while change and curiosity is good, in some situations we may be better off recognizing what we have now -the simplicity, and the peaceful quietness of the moment, of what we started out with in the innocence of our childhood or of our former selves,- might have actually been the best it could be or would ever get and that sometimes, as we seek change we should keep in mind that we should be careful what we wish for since it may not be any better than what we had to begin with!