Regenerations | Changes are Cool

I never used to be one for lipstick, but now... well... I should probably let the following photo's do the talking...

Subtle eyes with striking lips. I love it, and it's probably because I've regenerated.

Tenth Doctor's (David Tennant) regeneration

In homage to my favourite show, whose new series starts tonight (in 2hrs & 50mins to be precise. So EXCITED), I thought I'd talk about regenerations. 

"Regenerations? What the hell are you on about, Kartonia?"

Bear with me. 

"Please. For the love of all unicorns running free in woodlands, please, Kartonia. Please don't get all Science-Fictiony on me."

*Raises hands in surrender* I appreciate you may not be interested in the world of Doctor Who, (each to their own and all that), but this isn't about the show... not exactly. 

"We all change, when you think about it. We're all different people all through our lives, and that's okay. That's good. You've got to keep moving so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."  

If you watch Doctor Who, you'll probably recognise this beautiful, heart wrenching speech, written by Steven Moffat and brought to life so effectively by the Doctor, played by Matt Smith.  If you don't watch the show or know what I'm talking about, then, to sum this up, this quote is taken from a scene where the Doctor, the protagonist of this story, is about to regenerate. A process in which his entire body and his personality (likes, loves, hates, tastes, you name it) changes. It's kind of like a death... but it isn't one. I suppose that can be confusing if you don't watch the show, but let me just tell you, I cried watching this scene. Seriously, I had Goosebumps, my throat had a massive lump in it and I cried like a baby. 

Some of you may be rolling your eyes, and to you I say.................. *sniffles* Leave me and Doctor Who alone. Seriously, it was really sad. Like really sad. I don't know if it was as sad as Tennant's "I don't want to go", but it was really sad.

But getting back to the point, beyond the fantasy of Doctor Who, those words in the Eleventh Doctor's speech (noted above), really resonated with me. I mean, we all change, don't we?

I certainly have. I mean the girl who used to cry when seeing her mum's face at every Primary school assembly (infants, not juniors), is not the same girl who tried to lie about her name and address when she was caught by TFL ticket inspectors with no money on her Oyster card as she stepped off a train on the way to secondary school, nor is she the same girl who spent the last year working with Autistic children, where the average day saw her get punched, kicked, spat on and scratched, and that girl is certainly not same person who has found the confidence to start this blog or upload a sketch of hers to Youtube (still can't believe I did that one, actually).

I've changed, several times. My tastes have changed, my views, my eyebrows, my makeup, hair colour and style. I've learnt and gone through things that have changed me. And I'm sure I'll go through more things that'll change me even more. One of my oldest friends has just shaved her head, clean bald, picked up her rucksack and has gone travelling, currently having stopped in Israel. She has changed, she's morphed into this fearless, free spirit, wandering off and exploring, not afraid of anything. And that's cool, like the Doctor said "You've got to keep moving." 

Changing is cool, but let's not get it twisted. Not every change will result in us being a better being than that of before, nor will it mean that we are guaranteed to be more content. You'll often here people crave some of those attributes of their former selves. "I wish I had the guts like I did back then". And, if for a second we could focus on the vanity side of these changes, I'll be the first to put my hands up and say I wish I had the unblemished, flawless skin I had from ages 0-10. I mean come on. I've got to wax and everything now, not to mention the fact that at this very moment I have a dollop of toothpaste on a spot that's decided to appear on my chin overnight. 

I like to think, that unlike the Doctor, and with our persona, along with the vast amount of changes that happen without our say, we also get to choose when we change. If we don't like our hair, we get to choose whether or not we do something about it. If we don't like how a certain person treats us, we get to choose, if we want to walk away. We get to choose a new sense of style, or to jump into something that scares the hell out of us. We get to choose. We regenerate, and on top of that, we, get, to, choose. 

What about you, have you regenerated recently?