Made in Humane Club
Tetu the owl was no longer a little owlet. She was growing up. Many things were changing and Tetu was very confused. Tetu would spend more time with friends than with her family, her preferences were changing, and the things that she did were changing.
She was super duper confused. Every time this would happen, she would take out her diary and write:
2nd May 20XX
10:00pm
Dear Diary,
I don’t know what’s happening. One moment I liked blue and then I liked red. I wouldn’t talk so much with friends but now I am. I wouldn’t feel so emotionally affected when small things happen and now I am!
Tetu
Her parents noticed this. They decided to try to guide Tetu. One day her dad said, “Tetu, we all go through this phase. It is part of life. Just accept it. I know it is confusing, but yes.”
Tetu said, “Yeah but I’m changing as a person right?” Her dad said, “No, you aren’t. Just remember this saying — Same container, different contents.”
Tetu smiled and then went to her room. She tossed the saying around in her mind. She didn’t know how it would help her and decided to think about it.
Tetu stayed awake until midnight. She went out into the night sky to talk with her big sister, WabiSabi. WabiSabi said, “I know why you’re here. I’m available to talk.”
Tetu said, “Dad has given me this saying — Same container, different contents. I don’t really understand it. Can you explain?”
WabiSabi smiled and said, “Sure. Dad means that you are the container and your contents are whatever is changing right now. You need to accept the change.”
Tetu said, “Uhhh!! Why do I keep hearing that?” WabiSabi said, “It’s because you need to. We are just trying to help you. Now, do you want to fly beside me? We can take a round of the area if you wish to.”
Tetu said, “YES!!!!” Then, off they went into the night, flying side by side.
Once Tetu went back to her room, she took out a piece of paper and wrote down the following:
Things that have changed –
- Preference in colour: Blue became Red
- Activities I liked to do: I used to paint most of the time, now I am sporty
- I used to spend more time with family than with friends. This is one of the major changes.
- I wouldn’t care much if a small thing happened. Now I care a lot about it. I also cry or feel bad about it.
Things that have stayed –
- My love for building
- My love for fighting
- My love for selling products
- My bond with WabiSabi and parents
Then, Tetu thought, “It is still me. Tetu. What I hold keeps changing. But that’s not scary. It is…. Variables!” It was the same as the score in the game. It was the same box but a different number every time.
Things to learn: Same container, different contents. That’s a variable. Some things change. But some things stay the same and those are constants. Knowing which is which tells you who you really are.