I grew up in Creelsboro, on the edge of the Cumberland River. I’ve always had a fascination with flowing water.
There’s something peaceful and calming in the still flowing water of a creek or river. Where does all that water go? Where does it come from? Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher, said that you never step in the same river twice. As I walk the banks of the river, I think of that. You never step in the same Cumberland twice. Time is the same way; you never live the same moment twice.
The present moment flows infinitely, and it is all that you have. Each step in the water of time is different, and it creates ripples and waves that you cannot always understand or see the end of. You can miss moments that will never flow by again and, at the same time, you never know what comes next.
A great deal of our life is lived in the mundane. Ordinary seconds add up to minutes the same way that drops of water make a river. Each ordinary moment can be of extraordinary value, if you pay more attention to the things and people that walk the banks of this river with you.
Take a moment and become aware of the people in the room with you now and how unique this moment in time is. As you go through your day, pay attention to the river of your life.
Eric Overby lives in Russell County. You can find his poetry on Amazon and more of his writings on Instagram @mindful_stoic_poet.
