It was the Greek philosopher Heraclitus who remarked that “ No-one ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and they are not the same person.”
We may not notice the fact, or we may choose to ignore it, but all of life is like that. What may seem to be static is shifting and changing – our surroundings and ourselves. It’s all movement and process. That can be hard, because, as human beings we want some predictability and a sense of safety. We want a balance between novelty and familiarity. To know where we are.
Downsizing brings this dilemma home. What can I keep that is not only useful, but familiar and comfortable? It raises questions about what I really need and what I can let go. Essentially it questions and challenges me about my values, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Mark 12:34)
So might this recognition of impermanence be an opportunity? An opportunity to acknowledge that I am part of this inevitable process, to recognise at a deeper level what is important and to let go, because, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching.
Chris Dawson