Obama has granted the first ever presidential interview to an Arabic television station. He is committed to opening a dialogue with the Muslim world. His campaign for change has had a global impact already.

Does change always mean pain? It is a neurological fact that change elicits a fear-based response in the human brain. The sweaty palms, the racing heart, the inner sense of dread — all these things are a part of the normal human existence. The key is to strengthen our consciousness to overcome the neural response.

We love order because it gives us a sense of control. Notice that Obama is not using the terms “new world order” as, say, Reagan did. His claim rests in change mixed with hope, not fear; listening and loving, not lamenting and leering.

The bodybuilder’s adage “no pain, no gain” does not apply here. We can make a change and a difference. It might involve some level of adjustment, but isn’t that really what life’s about?