You are the river and the stone
So consider how you might change
You exist in contradiction.
You might feel as solid as a stone; the you you recognize as “You.” But you are as much a river, in flux, continuously shaping that stone. Stasis is an illusion. So consider how you might change. Or change will choose for you.
Being is an act of endless tension. Consider the idea of “Future You.” The version of “You” you want to become. By definition, she is not “Current You.” The disparity can be confronting and humbling. Who does Future You think she is?
But Future You isn’t better, just different in a direction you value (Since You most definitely have a bias.) She is the realization of Current You’s routines in action. So Be careful what you get good at.
When you consider how you might change, you are confronting the question of how to integrate Future You and Current You. You must Bring your adversary closer even when it’s Future You. You must not be so hard on the past, even it’s Current You.
The human condition is the tension between petrifaction and drowning. It is the false promise of “I’ll never change.” It is the heartbreak in “You’ve really changed.”
How fitting that a tombstone is the marker for a life. “Written in stone” means permanent, when a life is anything but. Every stone is shaped by water, given enough time. Even the rock that is you.
This is the last microprinciple of 2024, as I break for the holidays. I’ll be back in 2025. Thanks as always for reading. If you find this newsletter compelling, consider sharing it with a friend. Every December, I remove the paywall so new folks can read back issues for free.
If you have any other thoughts, hit reply, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Yours,
–V. Sri