Returning to a hometown after time away can be a strange experience. For me, that place is Kirra. It's a place etched in my memory, but lately, it feels like the landscape of those memories is being redrawn right before my eyes. New buildings are rising, old landmarks are disappearing, and the familiar rhythm of the place feels... different.
Dealing with that kind of change can be challenging. It's easy to feel a sense of loss for what was, and a little bit of uncertainty about what's to come. It’s a reminder that nothing stays the same, no matter how much we might want it to.
It brings to mind a couple of old quotes that I've found helpful to live by. The first, from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, is that "the only constant in life is change." It’s a simple but powerful idea. Resisting change is like trying to hold back the tide; it’s a battle you can’t win. Instead, learning to flow with it, to adapt and find the good in the new, is where peace is found.
The other is the idea that we should focus on what we can control and let go of what we can't. The development of a town is far beyond my control, but how I choose to see it and engage with the new version of it—that’s up to me. It's about finding the new coffee shops, walking the new paths, and making new memories. Change is inevitable, but our perspective is our own.