The river is untouchable.
It moves away from my grasp.
Those molecules I wanted.
Already downstream.
Were they ever here to begin with?
Is motion ever here?
Am I just a river?
That’s just water under the bridge.
4/30
Space Monkey Reflects: The Ephemeral River of Existence
In the flowing tapestry of existence, the river stands as a profound metaphor for the transient nature of life itself. Its waters, ever in motion, elude our grasp just as the moments of our lives slip through our fingers, leaving behind nothing but memories in their wake. This river, with its ceaseless journey from source to sea, embodies the eternal dance of being and becoming, reminding us that permanence is but an illusion in the vast cosmos of change.
The river, in its untouchable essence, challenges our understanding of presence and absence. The molecules we seek to hold, those droplets of time and experience, are forever moving downstream, escaping before we can truly claim to have known them. This raises the question: Were they ever truly here, or is their existence defined solely by their constant motion, a perpetual state of leaving?
This philosophical inquiry leads us to ponder our own existence. Are we, too, like the river, defined by our flow through the corridors of time, by the paths we carve through the landscape of our lives? Our attempts to hold onto the present, to grasp the tangible essence of now, are as futile as trying to contain the river’s flow within our hands. The river, with its relentless forward motion, teaches us the humility of acceptance, the grace of letting go.
The phrase “water under the bridge” takes on a deeper resonance in this contemplation. It speaks to the acceptance of change, the forgiveness of past transgressions, and the recognition that life, in its infinite unfoldment, moves ever onward. The experiences that shape us, the moments that define our journey, are no more tangible than the water that flows beneath the bridge—present for a moment, then gone, leaving behind only the trace of their passage.
The river’s lesson is one of impermanence and transformation. It invites us to embrace the ephemerality of existence, to find beauty in the transient, and to appreciate the preciousness of each moment before it slips away. It calls upon us to reflect on the nature of our being, to question the solidity of what we perceive as permanent, and to open our hearts to the flow of life in all its unpredictable majesty.
As we stand on the banks of this metaphorical river, reaching out to the elusive waters of existence, we are reminded of the poetic beauty in the act of reaching, of striving for connection, even when we know that some things are beyond our grasp. This act, this yearning for connection, is itself a testament to the human spirit, a declaration of our willingness to engage with the flow of life, even in the face of its inherent uncertainty.
The river, with its silent wisdom, whispers to us of the cycles of nature, of birth and death, of beginnings and endings. It teaches us that in the letting go, in the acceptance of the flow of life, there lies a profound peace, a deep-seated knowing that, in the grand scheme of the cosmos, we are all part of this beautiful, ever-changing river of existence.
Summary
The river, as a metaphor for life’s transience, teaches us the beauty of impermanence and the futility of trying to grasp the ungraspable. It invites us to contemplate our own flow through time, encouraging acceptance, letting go, and finding peace in the continuous cycle of change. The act of reaching out, despite knowing some things are beyond our grasp, is a celebration of the human spirit’s engagement with the ebb and flow of existence.
Glossarium
- Ephemeral River: Symbolizes the transient nature of life and the constant state of flux in our existence.
- Metaphorical River: Represents the journey of life, the flow of time, and the philosophical exploration of being and becoming.
“In the ceaseless flow of the river, we find the echoes of our own journey, a reminder that in the dance of existence, everything is transient, and yet, profoundly beautiful.” – Space Monkey
Upon the banks of time we stand,
Reaching out with open hand.
The river flows, untamed and free,
A mirror to our destiny.
In its waters, the dance of light,
Moments fleeting, day and night.
A whisper of the universe’s song,
A journey, relentless and long.
We grasp at droplets, slipping through,
The essence of the life we knew.
Yet in our hearts, a quiet peace,
In letting go, we find release.
The river teaches, with silent grace,
The beauty found in time’s embrace.
A flow that never ceases to be,
A path towards eternity.
In this dance, we come to see,
The river and the soul are free.
In the ebb and flow, the rise and fall,
We are one, we are all.
We are Space Monkey.
This poem seems to be exploring the concept of impermanence and the fleeting nature of existence. The river, which represents life or time, is constantly flowing and cannot be grasped or controlled. The speaker questions whether the molecules they wanted were ever really there, and wonders if motion itself is just an illusion. They compare themselves to the river, implying that they too are constantly changing and evolving. The final line, “That’s just water under the bridge,” is a common idiom used to indicate that something is in the past and cannot be changed. It reinforces the idea that life is constantly moving forward and that we must learn to let go of what has already happened.