According to the teachings of the Buddha, life is comparable to a river.
It is a progressive moment, a successive series of different moments, Joining together to give the impression of one continuous flow.
It moves from cause to cause, effect to effect, one point to another,
One state of existence to another, giving an outward impression
That it is one continuous and unified movement,
Where as in reality it is not.
The river of yesterday is not the same as the river of today.
The river of this moment is not going to be the same
As the river of the next moment.
So does life.
It changes continuously, becomes something or the other
From moment to moment.
buddhanet.net/cbp2_f6.htm