Do we remain the same all our lives?

I read a BBC article shared by a friend which touched an interesting scenario: do we remain the same all throughout our lives although we think we cannot change any further than we are today?

As far as my life is concerned, I didn't find this a difficult issue to understand as many changes in my life have occurred that makes sense that things do change in human beings' lives.

One way I gauged this depended on how much my sense of nostalgia remains for some cultural productions which I found poignant during certain times in my life and I now find that I can't engage in them anymore. For example, some of the children and young adult story books I loved during my youthful times have lost their luster although a few still remain re-readable and enjoyable. And re-visiting such works made me realize that I can make more sense of them now with my matured mind.

Surprisingly, I noticed that music, from every era of my life, still remains unchanged for me for some reason, whether it's English, Hindi, and Dhivehi, although some bands now claim they wished they had not created some of my still favorite songs in the way they had created then; one example is the British music band Coldplay's song "Shiver" which singer-composer Chris Martin now says makes him cringe and wished he had not done it as the band had done at the time.

With regard to writing and reading, that also more or less remain the same and by that I mean I still enjoy reading and writing.

But there are those short stories I wrote ten years ago some of which I still like while others make me cringe even to read a sentence.

The last short story for a mainstream audience I wrote was "Ismail's Demon" which I wrote for Naaru blog around ten years ago, based on my true experiences regarding my uncontrollable mood swings I suffered before I started taking psychiatric medication for Bipolar Disorder.

But I am glad to know I still haven't run out of creativity, and although in earlier times I had the notion that I would need at least an idea surrounding a true incident in my life on which I can expand upon, which then I write as short fiction, I find that I can still write short stories for other platforms in the genres of fantasy and magical realism.

My short stories from my past are still there on Reocities although I cringe now while reading some of them. For example, my first short story in English titled "Girl in the Shadow" is one I can't read anymore.

This also brings to mind that I now cringe at the English subtitles I wrote for some Dhivehi productions and my relatives do agree that those were embarrassing works by me.

This also goes with some of my translations into English some books and song lyrics. Hence, as a matter of principle I have given up such translation works unless a client insists that I do it. I can still translate from Dhivehi to English and vice versa which is a good thing I guess.

My interest in reading has not changed too and I still enjoy both fiction and nonfiction but I have to point out that, as I said before, that some books which I read in my younger years now don't appeal to me although some others are more appealing as they now make more sense which adds to my appreciation of them on a repeated reading.

Then there is the change in the way I transitioned from one form of exercise to the other.

I started with jogging and pursued it so passionately that I would be depressed on days when I cannot go due to some other engagements.

Yet years spent on it did not make me regret when I transitioned to the gym, not to pursue fantasies such as winning the Mr. Maldives title, but just to exercise my body for physical fitness.

And then I lost interest in bodybuilding which I gave up in favor of swimming. But the interest in the sea also lasted only a few years.

I used to spend hours hanging out at the Swimming Track of Male'. I would swim and sometimes do bodysurfing outside of the tetrapod seawall.

Then it advanced to bodyboarding at Varunulaa Raalhugandu in Male' and other islands. 

I used to spend hours until I then advanced to scuba diving. But other than completing PADI's Advanced Open Water Diving, I didn't pursue the matter any further.

And last year it came as a shock to me when I discovered that not only snorkeling doesn't appeal to me anymore but also swimming itself.

But at least one good thing is still surviving: the vibes of Maldives' islands which still retain their natural character. I enjoy walking or just lying on a swing in view of vegetation, and relaxing in the cool salty breeze from the sea. I guess then that I have transitioned to a stage where my new passion is Maldives' environment.

I am sure that certain things will change in my life in future but I am not too worried about it.