There is an old Heraclitus saying that you can never step into the same river twice. This wisdom exemplifies the flowing nature of reality. Either the river has changed, or you have. Now, we understand that the flow of the river will make the river change. In fact, if you have ever sat and watched a river, the small rapids, the undercurrent, the eddies, the slow flow or turbulence; it’s never the same. The river, like us, is in a constant state of change.

What about you? Are you in a constant state of change, or – like a broken record – are you turning on the track over and over. The choice is up to you, and it is certainly a choice. Like everything, we have the freedom to choose what we will take form our lives, that includes every minute of every hour of every day of our life. It is up to you to make the world you want to live in. A choice needs to be made, whether you make it or not. If you leave the choice unmade, it will be made by outside forces, and usually doesn’t turn out the way we want it to.

It seems, at times, that there is no choice to be made. Every day you wake up in the same bed, look at the same walls, the same kitchen in the same house; living with the same people doing the same things. It’s all the same – or is it? We are a complex individual living in a complex society with other complex individuals. When we learn that we are all part of a great whole, we start to realize that this universe we live in is inseparably connected at every level. When we start to learn about this connection, we start to see that the reality of the world, the only constant, is change.

If change is the only constant, and this exemplifies the flowing nature of reality, every breath we take, every moment we have, is a new and different moment. New in that it has never happened before, and will never happen again; different in that it has never been experienced by another at any other time in any other place.  We can look to our past and wish to take an eraser to a day or two on the calendar of our history. However, if we look at this life as the changing river it is, then we are meant to change with it – which is an encouraging thought!

Today is a new day—this moment is a new moment and one you have never lived, one you will never live again. You are a day older and the world is constantly evolving and changing, and hopefully, so are you. Hopefully you are never complete, never content. I hope we are all in a constant state of evolving.

This is a letter I wrote my daughter a couple years ago.

“Alexia, Lexi, Lex, Fred,

There are very few things in this world that I think reflect the Lord as well as kindness to others. Looking at Jesus’ life, we can see a lot of examples when he chose to be simply kind. He didn’t have to talk a lot about it, He didn’t tell others that He did it, He just did it. He didn’t ask for others to be kind to Him, but that we be kind to each other.

Albert Einstein said that a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. Mother Teresa dedicated her life to the service of the under privileged and ill. Gandhi spent his life uniting others in an effort to drive universal compassion. Any time we look to great examples, or turn our focus to religious principles, we see the theme that kindness to others is key. St. Matthew in the Bible explains this as “The Golden Rule.” This “rule” is found in almost every single religion. The Buddha said, “One should seek for others the happiness one desires for oneself.”

So this great thing that I think Jesus was trying to teach us, this ultimate lesson, the second greatest commandment (next to love God), is the core of what Jesus thought this whole world is about. So what? Why am I going on about it? Because of all the people I know, you do this the best. You show love for the people around you, you’re kind to people even if they aren’t to you and you have proven to have an altruistic heart in a world of selfish, hurtful narcissists. This is, to me, a real reflection of true religion – religion being your relationship with God and the Universe.

The challenge will be continuing that throughout your life. Will you be able to be an instrument for peace? Where there is hatred, will you sow love? Where there is injury, pardon? Where there is doubt, faith? Where there is despair, will you give hope to the people around you? Where there is darkness, can you help bring the light? Where there is sadness, can you find joy? I believe you can, and will. I have told people before that you are the very best of who I wish I could be. You are such a great example to me of what kind of person really shows kindness to people – even when you don’t have to.

You’re an amazing young woman, and I just know that you will be an amazing woman as you grow up. I am grateful and fortunate to be part of that life with you.

With all my love,

Dad”

Set aside time every day to ask:
Where have I been? What did I accomplish? What would I do differently?

— Pythagoras (ca.572-ca.492 B.C.E.)