Wednesday, February 13, 2013

...and we're moving on

I just have known that Pope Benedict XVI (PBX) just resigned from office. I was briefly shocked, and as I read today's headline: "Tagle Next Pope?", it gave me mixed emotions.

As reported, PBX is one of the very few that actually resigns. The rest, they are resigned until burial. Tsk!

As I briefly scan the pages of the paper, reading through the titles and leads of each article, the commentary of Cito Beltran captivated me. A few lines says:

"You don't have to die in office because the office could die along with you. The most important lesson that Pope Benedict teaches us by resigning as Pope is to know when to quit and to do it gracefully. Just because there has been a tradition of Popes dying or deteriorating is office, does not necessarily mean it's the wisest thing to do."

Cito explains and writes better of the idea, I am a fan.

That paragraph struck me with how we -- the younger generation -- the generation "in-waiting" -- who are trying to make changes in our own ways to improve lives and actually live a life.

Resistance to change is a hot topic for "seasoned" (the term they use when you're too old in a position) individuals -- any changes you want or wish should pass their set of criteria. There's nothing bad about it. In fact, it is a good practice to always seek the wisdom of experienced or experts. What is not good is, even if they understand the benefits, and actually know how it will turn out, they opt to ban or repress it.

It is in my personal nature to seek for improvements in ways possible and within the resources available, no matter how small it may look. But this outlook gives me the opportunity to do improvements of the changes that will happen -- not for personal gain but for the institution I am working with. It should be valued, at least hearing and proving what can happen. If my contributions are not seen as valuable, then, it only goes that I should not value myself as a contributor to my institution -- I must move on... resign...