Emptiness means the absence of permanence. Everything in life changes. In the words of Semisonic’s “Closing Time”:
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end
The fact that life changes isn’t an inherently bad or good thing. Those are labels that we apply. However, if life was always the same as portrayed in this Spongebob clip, we would almost certainly be ridiculously bored. As Alan Watts taught, if you had the power of a god. You could do anything you wanted to do with no risks. Inevitably, you would want to give up some of your power to experience surprises and risks. You would do it more and more and inevitably you would get to the point where you are living the life you are living today. Thomas Rhett puts it really well in his song “Life Changes”:
Ain’t it funny how life changes
You wake up, ain’t nothing the same and life changes
You can’t stop it, just hop on the train and
You never know what’s gonna happen
You make your plans and you hear god laughing
Life changes, and I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
And I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
Buddha’s final words before he passed away were a great inspiration
After i am gone, the teachings will be your guide. Be true to yourself. Those who practice my teachings and live the teachings are always by me, close to me. But even though one is beside me, if he does not practice the teaching, he is not near me. All things and all lives are constantly changing, passing from one state to another. All are subject to this universal law of change. I am no exception; my final day is here. Since all things change it does not make any difference if my physical body passes away. This body is not the Buddha; enlightenment is the Buddha. Do not concern yourselves with my passing away but concern yourselves with your own enlightenment. We are all one in enlightenment. Make yourselves your own light.
Buddha taught us to follow our own hearts. We all have the ability to enlighten ourselves, but we have to trust ourselves and just be. Mike Posner puts it really well in his song “Be As You Are”:
There are moments when you fall to the ground
But you are stronger than you feel you are now
You don’t always have to speak so loud, no
Just be as you are
Life is not always a comfortable ride
Everybody’s got scars that they hide
And everybody plays the fool sometimes, yeah
Just be as you are