At its root, philosophy is a study knowledge or existence. Some of the philosophical thought of the ancient Greek and Roman still resonate through modern society. One such resonance is from the little known Greek philosopher, Heraclitus. Little knowledge exists about him outside of the one major work that survived, and that work is said to be concerned with the impact of change on life and reality. The quote that is attributed to him has long resonated with me.
When I worked as a consultant, the idea of permanent change was one of the driving factors that led me to even have a job. What that means is, I was typically hired when a change had occurred or a change needed to occur. The permanence of change, the idea that we can always expect change to happen is a concept that is unsettling to many. It’s part of human nature to find comfort and ease with the known, with the things we are used to. The idea of changes is for most people unsettling. But my experiences have enabled me not to be unsettled by change. Rather, it’s easier to lean into the change and find the rhythm like sitting in a boat or riding a horse.
Sometimes changes are brought about by our own personal decisions. The decisions to imagine a different life. And that’s what I’ve done. I took a leap to imagine something different, to enact a my own change.
Come Fall, 2024, I will be chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor of Technical and Professional Communication at Clemson University. I am excited and sacred to death. But I am leaning into the possibilities that change can bring. I am looking forward to working with colleagues to envision and to enact what it means to be truly interdisciplinary and to being back in the Carolinas.
Let’s see what this change brings 🙂 And if you’re ever in the neighborhood, drop on by.
Wishing you health, peace, and joy.