May 16th, 2020
“Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible.” - Nhat Hanh
There is one topic that I can guarantee impacts you (because it impacts everyone) although you may not realize it or are actively aware of it. This subject permeates into every area of our lives and has held as a definite truth throughout time. The matter I am referring to is that of impermanence. You may be thinking, “What is impermanence and what does it have to do with me?” Or, you may be thinking, “I don’t see the big deal, why does impermanence matter?” If you are thinking either of these things and want to know more about impermanence, you have come to the right place!
A great place to start with impermanence is by defining it as this is not a term that we often use. The Oxford Dictionary defines impermanence as “the state or fact of lasting for only a limited period of time” and Merriam-Webster defines it as “the quality or state of being impermanent”. It may be helpful to provide some synonyms of impermanence:
Basically, impermanence is the phenomenon in life that everything comes to an end, and that nothing lasts forever. Impermanence is infinite, meaning that it is constant and continues on throughout the course of time and that from the beginning of time and into the ever-distant future, nothing will last forever. Now that we have provided a impermanence definition, we will next discuss how this idea of infinite impermanence impacts different areas of our lives.
One area that impermanence impacts our lives is with relationships. But, how so?
All of the things we work for and own are bound by impermanence as well. The capital we work to earn could include:
All of the above are temporary and will not last forever. Money is easily spent and often leaves us as soon as we get it, as many people say, “money come and money go”. Shares and stocks may be promising at one moment, and then be worth little to nothing the next.
The goods we buy can bring us much joy, but the joy is usually short and fleeting. The following goods that we purchase are impacted by the phenomenon of impermanence:
Even our feelings are influenced by the idea of impermanence. Although when we are mad or sad and these feelings feel as though they will last forever, they will not. Even during the times when we are at the height of our emotional experience, the emotions will subside, reduce in intensity and will end up ceasing to exist.
This can be extremely beneficial to know for those who deal with intense emotions such as depression, anxiety, and rage. Emotions as strong as these will even come to stop and change overtime.
One thing we cannot get back is our time. Time is a prime example of impermanence as it is constantly fleeting and with each moment that passes, we encounter a brand-new moment and a brand-new experience. No moment is truly like the one before.
Therefore, we must live our lives as exactly that, an impermanent life and by cherishing each passing moment. When our lives are not going as we well as we would like we can remember that it will pass overtime, as everything does.
Regardless, it may be beneficial to seek help and find a counselor near you to help you get over the trials and tribulations you may be facing, as each moment is precious and should not be wasted. After all, we live bound by impermanence and should respect this phenomenon.
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