Experience

No man gets into the same river twice, have you heard that before? disciple asked the saint.

Yes, I have heard that before. It is an interesting statement.

What does it mean?

It has two aspects to it, and both are related to experience.

When you talk about the river, it is not a constant entity. We talk about the water and though it might feel stagnant, it may not be. That makes your experience differ every time.

But it is the same river, retorted the disciple.

Okay. You think about getting into the river early in the morning and during the mid noon. It is the same river. But would your experience be the same?

For sure, no.

Similarly, the second part is about you.

When you get into the river for the first time, you don’t know how it is going to be like. And how the experience would be. Once you experience the river, it has already changed you in some manner.

So, you are not the same being.

It is true with people and places. Every time you interact with someone, it may not be the same experience. They change and you change as well.

Your experience changes you and you don’t interact with the same person, don’t go to the same place, don’t step into the same river, twice.