Vocation

There is a saying in Ancient Greek, attributed to the philosopher Heraclitus. That phrase, in Greek, is “τὰ πάντα ῥεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν μένει” (ta panta rhei kai ouden menei). It roughly translates to, “everything flows, and nothing stays.” Another saying attributed to Heraclitus along this vein is that you can’t step into the same river twice.

Both of these sayings can be summarized in two words: everything changes. The water that flows in a river is always shifting and flowing, so that when you step into a river for a second  time, it is no longer the same river. According to some accounts, one of Heraclitus’ students remarked that by that logic, you could not even step into the same river once, since the water continues to flow even as you set your foot into it.

As the temperatures cool, the rains settle in, and the seasons change, I am reminded of these sayings by Heraclitus. In some ways, they are a little disquieting. In several months, I will leave behind my time as an undergraduate at BU. Where I go from there, who can say now. But with that change, I may lose touch with many of the friends and people that I’ve grown close to at BU. I can’t deny that that’s at least a little scary.

At the same time, there is some peace that can be found in Heraclitus’ sayings as well. If all things change, then that means all things in life, including times of trial and hardship, will eventually pass on. How or when, I can’t say, but I know they will in time.

This does raise a difficult question, though: does the Divine change over time? Or do our conceptions of the Divine, and not the divine itself, ebb and flow? Some might argue that God is one of the few constants in the world that we live. Other people take heart in the fact that the Divine is eternal. And yet, I don’t think that means the Divine is static. The Divine can encompass so much, for so many people. How could something that vast be bounded, or limited, by being perpetually the same and not change?

These are questions that I don’t have an answer to, unfortunately. I don’t know if the Divine is constant, or ever-changing, or both. But when I look out at the Charles River in Boston, and I see the water ripple across the surface, I am reminded of the living presence of the Divine in the the river, in the people around me, and in the world around all of us. I am reminded of the words of the philosopher Heraclitus, words that contain some anxiety, some peace, and a lot of hope. And that, for now, is enough for me to ponder the Divine while embracing the flow that comes with the passing of the seasons.