Life Is Long if You Know How to Use It

Embrace impermanence — nothing lasts forever

Embrace impermanence — nothing lasts forever.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

“A cloud never dies; it transforms into something else — snow or rain.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

Impermanence rules everything. Nothing lasts forever. Even the best stories end.

So, why do we feel invincible when things go up? Or beat ourselves when things go down? We cling to one moment even though it’s gone with the wind.

We become arrogant when we succeed, and ignorant when we fail.

External events, achievements or possessions don’t define you. Life is ephemeral — everything comes and goes. Landing a great job doesn’t make you superior. Losing it doesn’t make you a failure either. As Marcus Aurelius wrote, “A rock thrown in the air loses nothing by coming down, gained nothing by going up.”

Resisting impermanence turns us into a victim of our ignorance.

Everything will end at some point. Recognizing the impermanence of life teaches us not to cling to the “good” or run from the “bad.” But to make room for change. When w…