The River of Life

The one certainty we have is that everything in the universe is ever-changing. The expectation of permanence creates suffering and fear.

The philosopher Heraclitus said: “You cannot step in the same river twice.” So by all means, step in wholeheartedly, passionately, vulnerably, and joyfully in celebration of the gift that has been bestowed upon us in the form of experience and people. We cannot go back in time and seize what was gifted in the flow of life.

The only thing to avoid is the avoidance of stepping into the river at all.

We must jump in with both feet, seize the moment and embrace all the beauty it has to offer. We must love as though there is no loss or end. After all, we do not stop living life because of the inevitability of death. Similarly, we do not stop loving the people in our lives because there is an end to every season or relationship, whether it be through death or any other element of change.

The River of Life by Stella Corbett

We cannot live our lives in fear. There is liberation in the knowledge that all our castles are built on sand and that one wave could submerge any so-called security without a moment’s notice. And when the time of loss comes, have faith that as seasons change there will be yet another moment in which we are found.

The energy of love is eternal and although we may perceive loss in a physical manner, those to whom we are connected remain within us. Therein lies the permanence we so often seek.

Do not deny the pain of loss. Feel it as wholeheartedly as you would the discovery of love, but do not stay attached to the pain. Feel it and let it leave you and if you must, repeat the process. Time really does do wonders in the process of letting go. Have faith and live fearlessly.

Love on and do not depend on exterior forces for happiness. Instead, create a force within that cannot be affected by the change of seasons. Allow your inner joy to fuel every leap into the river of life.