MY son recently changed school and I think I felt the worry and fear far more than him.

I was concerned about our choice and whether he would be happy, settle down, make friends and so on.

So far so good, he is content, excited about new choices and slowly finding his way.

The irony is that I have moved house a dozen times and my job has rotated every six months, yet I still felt so acutely worried about this single move.

It got me thinking about change in general.

I reminded myself that nothing stays the same for long, whether it be the seasons, politics or our ageing bodies; change is inevitable.

And in the midst of the worry about new timetables, new premises and new colleagues, it is easy to forget that change can bring in better times while shaking out the cobwebs and invigorating our souls.

A new home, new job, new opportunity or hobby can add to the depth and beauty of our meandering lives.

Unless things change we are in danger of stagnation and monotony.

Some changes can be the result of our reaching out and opening doors.

Other changes can be forced upon us, the result of forces outside our own control.

In such circumstances, it seems normal to feel stressed and anxious.

Yet it is at these times that the words of the Qur’an bring comfort: that we are only tested as much as we are able to bear.

This puts into perspective the trials and difficulties that we may face and the loss of hopes and dreams.

For all of us, life twists and turns. We laugh and we cry, we get into a routine only for everything to be shaken by change again.

Yet all these experiences should help us be all the wiser, all the stronger and all the richer.