Hassan has always believed that he was top notch when it came to organizational skills and wasn’t tolerant of people who slacked in this area until he got married to a lovely lady who believed that everything should be shared equally at home including chores. They even had a timetable for ministry of internal affairs. Then Hassan changed and all of a sudden, he expected people to understand and bear with him in relation to meeting targets and deadlines.
Do people really change in life? Circumstances are very powerful drivers
~ Uwem Umana
Hassan always prided himself on his impeccable organisational skills. You know the type—Google Calendar colour-coded, tasks itemised to the hour, goals meticulously tracked on Notion. He had little patience for people who couldn’t keep up or deliver on time. In his eyes, missed deadlines were a sign of laziness or poor planning. That was, of course, until life handed him a fresh perspective—marriage.
Enter a lovely woman with a warm heart and a firm belief in shared responsibilities. She wasn’t just talking about financial partnership or emotional support—she meant everything. From taking the bins out to wiping down countertops and grocery runs. In their home, they jokingly referred to it as the “Ministry of Internal Affairs,” and yes, there was even a rota.
That’s when the shift began.
For the first time, Hassan was stretched thin. Balancing work deadlines with dinner prep, school runs, and unplanned toddler tantrums had him questioning his own calendar wizardry. And just like that, his old rigidity started to soften. He missed a few deadlines. Sent an email with a typo. Asked for an extension—something the old Hassan would’ve seen as unthinkable. But now? He found himself saying, “Please bear with me.”
So, do people really change?
It’s tempting to think people stay the same. But nothing has the power to challenge our convictions and habits like real-life circumstances. Change doesn’t always come by force—it often comes by friction.
What happened to Hassan is more common than we admit. Life has a way of throwing curveballs that force us to renegotiate our standards, soften our edges, and rethink our judgements. Responsibility reshapes perspective. Empathy grows from shared struggle. And sometimes, the very thing we once criticised becomes our greatest teacher.
So yes, people change. Not because they were wrong before, but because life evolves. And with it, so must we.
What’s your Hassan story? Has life ever humbled you into becoming more flexible, empathetic, or even forgiving? Let’s talk about it.
Written by : eymadmin
