IMPERMANENCE

No matter where we look in the material world, everything is in a state of flux. Nothing is permanent. Sometimes we forget this, especially if the rate of change is not so rapid that we take notice of it.

Children you see every day do not seem so different from one day to the next, but if you see them after an absence of a few years, you will be surprised by how much they have grown. This is a good example where the illusion of changeless permanence is suddenly demolished, revealing the truth of impermanence.

In the Tao, we approach impermanence with acceptance. It is simply the way things are, so there is no need for you to deny it or complain about it. What you do instead is minimize your attachments so you do not cling to a past that can never come back again. You can also minimize our assumptions about the world, so you can better anticipate change and respond to it in an intelligent way. This will lead you to working with impermanence, not against it.

The Tao Today

It is because things keep changing that they stay fresh and interesting. The ever-changing material world is designed for you to go out there and sample new experiences. There are always new distinctions to learn, new concepts to master, new people to meet and new things to see. Can you see the adventures open to you?

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin