Nothing lasts forever, and that is fine

A few years ago, by pure chance, I came across a YouTube video by Swami Sarvapriyananda titled “Who Am I?”.

At that time, I had no idea how much this simple click would change my way of thinking.

That video introduced me to Advaita Vedanta, and since then, my life has taken a turn - internally, at least.

I’ve read a bunch of books, watched countless talks, and tried to understand what all these teachings mean in real life.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how everything in our world is temporary. Yet, we live most of our lives acting as if everything is permanent - people, places, relationships, emotions.

We hold on to them as if they’ll last forever. But deep down, we know the truth: nothing lasts. People pass away, our feelings change, places transform, and memories fade.

It’s strange. Our emotions can be so strong. We fall in love, and we care for our parents, friends, and children like they are the center of our universe. We invest so much into these bonds that we almost forget everything will slip away one day.

History is full of great people - amazing parents, legendary lovers, wise gurus - yet, over time, most of them are forgotten by the world.

If even the greatest names eventually fade, what does that say about everything we hold on to?

It might sound depressing, but I’m not trying to make anyone sad. I’m just sharing a thought: when we understand that things won’t last forever, we can enjoy them more fully while they’re here.

There is a certain freedom in knowing that you don’t have to cling desperately to something, afraid of losing it. When you accept the natural flow of life - things coming and going - you start feeling more peaceful.

This doesn’t mean we should stop loving or caring. On the contrary, it means we can love people purely, without worrying that we must somehow keep them with us forever.

We can appreciate the small moments - laughing over chai with a friend, a quiet walk with our parents, a random kind gesture from a stranger - knowing that these moments are precious because they’re not permanent.

In my journey, Advaita Vedanta has helped me look at life more honestly. It constantly reminds me to see what’s there instead of what I wish would be.

Yes, everything we value will vanish one day. But that’s what makes our experiences so meaningful and alive right now.

Accepting that things come and go allows us to live more openly, appreciate every interaction, and move on with grace when the time is right.

Sometimes, when we look deeper, it feels like we’re standing at the edge of a grand mystery. We’re made of the same stuff as the trees outside, the rivers flowing through the countryside, and the silent stars overhead.

All of these are changing, shifting, and eventually passing, just like us. This realization doesn’t separate us - it unites us. It’s like each of us is a drop in a much bigger ocean.

We aren’t just watching life’s waves rise and fall; we are those waves, and the ocean too.

Knowing this changes something inside: we stop seeing ourselves as isolated individuals trying to hold on and start feeling like part of a timeless dance.

In that sense, when we see that nothing lasts, we also see that everything is connected. The love we share, the sorrow we feel, the laughter we let out - it’s all part of this ever-changing, living tapestry.

Instead of feeling like losers in a game, we can’t win, we realize we’re more like travelers passing through. The path we walk on belongs to no one, and that’s the whole beauty of it.

By letting go of the need to hold on, we find a strange kind of freedom. We become lighter, clearer, and more ready to embrace life as it comes and goes - just as it’s meant to.