Subject to change

In late October, at the invitation of Outreach Coordinator Gloria Pomerantz, I was privileged to address patrons of the Peninsula Public Library on the topic of “Change in our Changing Times.”

During a spirited conversation, we considered the various facets of “change,” noting how the indecisive change their minds, the lost (and the rehabilitated) change direction, couch potatoes change channels and tired parents change diapers. Drivers change lanes and should (as per Marc of Five Towns Auto Repair) change their oil. With the change of seasons and change in temperature we change the clocks, though we won’t ever (as per Lincoln) “change horses in mid-stream.

Beggars will ask for spare change, little kids near a gumball machine will ask for loose change, while cashiers making change are careful not to short-change their customers. Circus performers are quick-change artists while baseball pitchers will throw a changeup.

The seductive “change into something into more comfortable,” while Fred Astaire invited us to “change partners and dance me,” and the Long Island Rail Road reminds us to “change at Jamaica.”

As we experience a “change of life,” doctors recommend we change our diet, or change our lifestyle or, at least, change our meds, while shrinks counsel that a change of scenery might help with a change of pace followed by a change in attitude and outlook.

Of course, politicians promise sweeping change in an effort to get you to change your vote, before they themselves have a change of heart and change the subject so they can change course.

Indeed, we are subsumed in a sea of change, and a society where we change job, change plans and change sides as often as we change our clothes or change a light bulb.

Meanwhile, before we could ponder whether a leopard can change its spots, or analyze the lyric, “don’t change a hair for me, not if you care for me,” it was pointed out that missing from our “change” exchange was my late mother’s favorite, “change for the better.”

In response it was suggested that “change for the better” hadn’t come to mind, because in today’s day and age, despite so much alleged “progress,” so much really hasn’t changed for the better.

Noted was government with its corruption, waste and deadlock; entertainment with vulgar celebrity passing for talent and most “stars’ passing through rehab; sports blighted by steroids, scandals and inflated egos (and salaries); education where only a few are literate enough to read of their illiteracy; transportation where the trip itself is but a moment, but the trip to the trip includes hours of hold-ups and pat downs; and communication where everyone is texting but no one is talking, and where we get the message in an instant, but the idea and feeling are forever lost.

And there stood the question: was any of it “change,” or just replacement or substitution by a much shoddier product with no change, no place for the better.

Suddenly one sweet lady changed the tone by announcing that medicine with its great ability to preserve and prolong life, had changed for the better. Another gentleman argued that civil rights and the greater freedoms more folks enjoyed had greatly changed for the better.

Still another, cited government’s concern for people and people’s concern for each other as having changed for the better, and the list grew and grew as the atmosphere and group outlook changed for the much, much better and as all recognized how much, indeed, continued to change for the good.

Finally one man pointed out that perhaps our focus should not necessarily be on change, but rather on what shouldn’t, needn’t and never will change” “like,” he said, “honesty, faith, family, loyalty and love, and added one lady as we all started to leave, “the value of a good afternoon’s discussion at the library.”

© Copyright © 2010 Ron Goldman Ron Goldman is an attorney in private practice with offices in Cedarhurst and can be reached @ 1-800-846-9013