“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”
-Heraclitus
The quote above was used in a graduation ceremony I attended this weekend. I’ve said it over and over in my mind since first reading it. It’s such a simple reminder that things are constantly changing around us. And that we’re continuously changing as well. We frequently say goodbye to one circumstance in life in order to usher in a new one. Likewise, we have to say goodbye to one version of ourselves so we can let a stronger, wiser version grow.
I like to think of these “goodbyes” as little graduations. And they happen all the time, but we can play a role in accelerating them. We can encourage a graduation by choosing to care more deeply (leaving apathy and indifference behind). We can encourage a graduation by choosing forgiveness more often (leaving bitterness and judgment behind). And we can encourage a graduation by choosing to serve others more (leaving isolation and emptiness behind).
June also marks the middle of our calendar year which makes it a perfect time for planning the rest of 2014. Spend June graduating to the next glorious version of your life. One place to start is by asking these three things:
- Is the world around you changing for the better?
- How will this year have changed who you are?
- What impact will you have on others this year?