Photo Quote: Socrates’ Secret of Change

Birch Bay, Washington
Spring 2015

It was a fascinating experience to walk along the shores of Birch Bay in northern Washington, just 30 minutes from the Canada border. There isn’t much to do or see in Birch Bay, except for the bay. So anyone who visits there eventually makes their way to the water. The view is amazing. The sunsets stunning. The sea shells plentiful.

The fascinating part of the experience was seeing how many people, young and old, were drawn to the rocks of all shapes and sizes that covered the beach. There were mini rock stacks and tall teetering rock stacks. It created a surprisingly Zen-like atmosphere to the scene as people worked to construct a stable tower with the myriad of rock sizes, shapes and colors.

As I viewed the stacks, I saw them fall and get knocked down. But without any hesitation the builders get building, without angst or frustration. Just keep building.

I was reminded of Socrate’s quote about focusing all of our energy on building the new. What an incredible reminder for all of us as we think about reinventing our lives, creating new habits and building a life we love.

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy,
not on fighting the old, but on building the new.
– Socrates –