History is taught as a timeline, with a beginning and a present. It's depicted as a steady climb upwards toward some grander goal, approaching closer to some imagined final form, a most “civilized” form. But the truth is probably more that everything happens in cycles. Peace into war, chaos into order, advancement into stagnation. It just keeps going, transitioning from one state to another and back again.
Our lives are the same. I used to get so annoyed every time a dirty dish entered the newly cleared sink, because it felt like my hard work of cleaning the dishes was undone by the dirty dish. That annoyance went soon after I started thinking of dishes as a cycle. There is no end, there is no beginning. But it always feels nice to have a clean, empty sink.
The same can be said about our inner lives. You don't ever come to a point of ultimate happiness or understanding. There will always be periods of confusion and then epiphanies. Transformation and self discovery just keeps on happening if you're open to it. And isn't that exciting? You can always discover something new about yourself, your spouse, your parents, your friends. Don't stop being curious and observant, because being more of yourself around people who can truly see you is one of life's greatest joys.
