Temporary Can Be Beautiful, Too

Why are we so caught up on the notion of forever, when we, ourselves, are temporary? Society is so caught up in romanticizing the idea of permanence. Maybe it’s the commitment-phobe in me, but the notion of forever makes me squirm.

One thing I know for sure: The moment you write your name down in ink or scratch your initials into the nearby oak tree; The moment you write your name with your fingertips on a dirty window of an abandoned building in Detroit, and follow it with the words forever and always, you jinx it. You kill any potential of anything ever lasting.

Life is constantly changing. The inconsistencies are all we can really count on. In a way, the temporariness of it all is comforting. This too shall pass. If you’re having a hard time liking yourself, the person you’re with, or the general direction that your life is going at the moment, just hold on, because it won’t last too long.

Many people are afraid of change. They desperately hold on to people and situations with a white-knuckled grip because they are desperate for something stable. They don’t seem to realize that in change, there is growth. In growth, there is consistency. Rather than seeking outside sources to keep you anchored, you need to learn how to stabilize yourself and embrace the inevitable changes that this life will bless you with. Enjoy the seasons of life, and the people who come and go with them.

What is temporary can also be beautiful exactly as it is, regardless of any potential permanence. Temporariness doesn’t make existence any less valuable or valid.

None of us are permanent. We need to learn to let each other go, the same way that the moon lets go of the tide, and the way that the sky lets go of the moon to free his hands to caress the sun. Change is pertinent to our survival. So, let go.

Evolve.