This is a short quote I stumbled across a few months ago. It had a big impact on me and I revisit it often when I am frustrated with life. It serves as a reminder that when the change you want doesn’t occur, perhaps it is not other people that needs changing but yourself.

Changing the world

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realise the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realise that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

(Source: supposedly from an unknown monk, 1100 A.D.)