We are always re-inventing ourselves, whether we are aware of it or not. Quite often, not.
You hear about friends or couples who have grown apart over the years - usually because one or both have changed with time. Adopted different views, attitudes that come with experience and interchange with new ideas, new people.
Sometimes it’s more deliberate as we strive to improve ourselves, our chances to succeed, our own idea of what we should be to ourselves or to others.
Governments do this as well, on a very public scale. Some would say that the various Ministries re-invent themselves with every election. It happens more often than that.
Is it for the better? Hard to say.
We notice the areas that we have the most interest in, first: Health, Education... Sometimes it seems like all they’re doing is re-inventing the wheel over and over again.
The fashion industry, for one, goes in cycles. Trends that were to die for 30 years ago and then the subject of ridicule when they went out of style are suddenly all the rage after being hidden away in the furthest, darkest corner of the closet for decades. Fabric prints that were popular when our great grandmothers were young are now enjoying rebirth among a new generation of seamsters and crafters.
Fairly harmless stuff. However, areas like health and education need much more thought and planning before we get the new and improved version.
Unfortunately, thought and planning is difficult when you’re talking about four and a half million people in this province, many with differing opinions on how certain services should be run, and what the outcomes should be, etc. Because we’re all different, with different experiences, different needs.
And when we notice that something isn’t really working the way it’s supposed to, it not only takes a long time to change, but sometimes it heads off in the wrong direction because there isn’t a reliable road map that everyone can agree upon.
Let’s hope our Premiers can come up with one for health care.