This is the second in a series of articles I will be writing. These are philosophy articles, but not like the typical writings of that nature.

Two weeks ago, I introduced the new philosophy that I had created and it is named Universal Flow. In my first article, I gave a brief overview of what a Universal Flow practitioner would do in order to maintain clarity and to gain understanding. Today, I will dive into a the key tenet of Universal Flow, namely the philosophy’s ideas on change.

Probably the most important idea in this whole philosophy is the concept of change. Change is what drives the entire world. Day turns to night, and night turns to day. Spring becomes summer, summer becomes autumn, autumn becomes winter, and winter goes back to spring. Emotions shift by the hour. No two days are exactly the same, no two experiences are identical. Joy turns to sadness and back again. To live and thrive in this world, one must be aware of all the changes that take place. One must understand how to use them to his/her advantage, and how to endure hardship when the winds of change turn against you. What is bad will not last forever. It will be supplanted by good. Likewise, good will be supplanted by bad. Awareness and acceptance of change is the first step in attaining clarity. Accepting that the world hands out situations at random. We must enjoy all that is good, and endure all that is bad, so that we may return to good experiences.

And yet… there is evidence that some people are much happier than others. If good and bad take each other’s place, wouldn’t everyone’s life be the same? Similar events with equal amounts of joy and sadness? We know the events on Earth are influenced by two things: by nature, and by humanity. Humanity has a powerful effect on change. Humanity is able to dictate to a certain degree, what kind of change occurs. With this in mind, we have the answer to the previous questions. Some people are happier than others because they are able to master change. They endured hardship that is out of their control, and seized the opportunity to enact change in their own lives when the opportunity presented itself. It’s a matter of recognizing when the flow reveals an opening for you to exploit.

And this is why Universal Flow places such an emphasis on analyzing the past. If you know the past, take lessons from it, and study the patterns, you will be able to recognize opportunity, and choose wisely. You will be able to anticipate future events, developing a foresight that grows as you gain knowledge. Therefore, by being aware of the past, you may be able to improve your present situation, thereby preparing an excellent future for yourself. Continual learning and experience will allow you to understand more and more about this enigmatic world.

While the winds of change is often seen as unpredictable, I am certain that there is an underlying pattern that governs events. Because no two events are alike, this suggests that there may be a pattern that is consistently followed, after which variations act upon the events, giving the impression of spontaneity.

What’s important to note about change is that it prompts conflict and peace to be fluid. War follows peace and peace follows war. War is inevitable, and an end to a war phase is inevitable. Therefore, we must exercise our influence upon war, so that we must end a conflict as soon as possible, so that less people will suffer. This is precisely why a nation’s armed forces must be properly trained and maintained.

By my estimation, America is set to enter a significant period in history. What America does in the near future will dictate the flow of change for years to come. I have sensed it; I do not know when the great change will exactly come, but I am preparing myself for when it does. Before the COVID-19 epidemic, I had an inkling that the world will be set before a crossroads. There will be a major event that will determine the direction of humanity for many years to come. I just didn’t know the specifics. I predicted a large-scale conflict, but that was all I could sense. That was the limit of my ability. And still, all of that was just conjecture. None of it can be proven.

Throughout my studies, I have noticed a pattern in American history. Since the inception of the nation, there is a major conflict or trial that the nation faces about every 80 years. Since America’s victory against Britain in 1783, 78 years passed before the Civil War broke out. 76 years after the end of the Civil War, America enters the Second World War. Now, we are in the year 2020. It has been 75 years since the end of World War II, and I believe that the time for a major conflict is nearing. This prediction seemed justified when it was announced that General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated, and U.S.-Iran tensions mounted. I did not think much of these events however. It did not seem likely that war with Iran would evolve into a critical moment for America. And sure enough, things simmered down before long.

Sometime later, COVID-19 forced the world into isolation. The coming of the pandemic perplexed me. It seemed that the pattern was broken and that what I had predicted was merely the reaction to being bored. If the whole world had to face this nameless, faceless enemy, then surely the nations of the world would be working with each other in unity and in the name of global cooperation.

Here too, I am incorrect. The West is quick to blame China for the start of this pandemic, even insinuating that the virus is a part of a diabolical Chinese plot. Whether that is true or not remains to be seen. Europe turned its back on China, and China left the nations of the world to fend for themselves by cutting off exports of medical supplies. This global antagonism got me thinking. Humans have once again altered the winds of change. Perhaps now, instead of harmony, there will be acrimony. I continued to ponder with little to show for it. Then, all of a sudden, I came across an article from Foreign Affairs. It got me thinking. Perhaps, maybe I was right from the beginning. Perhaps COVID-19 is a catalyst for events to come. In the wake of all this chaos, there will be a power vacuum. And there are many who wish to fill it.

I also started comparing the COVID-19 pandemic to other major pandemics in history. And I recalled a very interesting detail. Major pandemics have lead up to pivotal conflicts and moments in history, likely due to the vast amount of death that they cause, as well as the political instability they leave behind. The major pandemics I will cite are: the Antonine Plague, the Plague of Justinian, the Black Death, and the Spanish Flu.

Considering the past, it would seem as though the world would go the same way as it had in the past. Pandemic, then economic depression, then major warfare. Change has begun to act again, the culmination of human actions compounded with environmental influence has made this time ripe for chaos to tear society apart. With this in mind, I decided that I want to be a part of this major era of change. I want to be able to pick up the pieces and help rebuild society after the change has ended. I pray that people will not have to endure such chaos, but if we are to face it, then I would like to be in a position where I could be of use. I’ve decided to apply to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and have begun taking steps to get me accepted. I feel that West Point is where I can become prepared to face the challenges of the future.

I believe that I detected the direction of the winds of change. Now, I’ve made my choices, and let us see how change will affect the world, and my future. I sure hope that my predictions have no credence, and that they are just the musings of a bored child stuck in quarantine.

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