Something To Ponder Today - A Ship Through Time

This is a short story for reflection based on the ancient philosophical paradox known as "The Ship of Theseus". As we go through life our bodies change. Cells are replaced all the time. And not only do our bodies change but so do our minds as we are exposed to new ideas. Photo by Michael Blum on Unsplash

Transcript

Dear friends,

I'd like to tell you a story which gives you something to ponder.

This is based on the ancient philosophical paradox known as the Ship of Theseus.

Once upon a time there was a family,

The Thompsons,

And they loved the sea.

They bought a ship which they named the Adventure and every summer they would take the Adventure out on a great sailing trip.

The Adventure was a sturdy ship but each year it needed some repairs.

The first summer they replaced the sails with new more colourful ones.

The next summer they repaired the deck with fresh planks of wood.

Year by year the family replaced parts that had become old or broken.

Despite all these changes the Thompsons loved and enjoyed their ship and they enjoyed the voyages on which it brought them.

In fact they got to love it even more and more with every passing year.

Sailing on this ship,

The Adventure,

They created wonderful memories.

They explored new islands.

They made lots of new friends.

One summer,

As the Adventure was sailing into the sunset,

Young Jake Thompson turned to his dad.

Dad,

Is this ship still the same Adventure?

Why do you ask that?

Said the dad.

Well,

Because we've replaced almost everything,

Said Jake.

Which brings us to the question we have to ponder today.

People ask themselves when they hear this story.

After the passage of time and with all its parts replaced,

Is this still the same ship?

And we can apply the same question to ourselves as we change physically and psychologically over the years.

But there is another even more fundamental question.

How is it that we human beings have the intelligence to ask this type of question and to debate the answer?

Stop to ponder every day on the wonder of this existence.

Namaste

Reviews

Love listening to the teacher and my favorite us setting my intentions for the day.
When I do not have time to sit avd b

A very interesting point. (You certainly help me to ‘stop and ponder’ every morning, Tony; thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻)

Oh good thought to ponder. I think in my heart deep down I’m still the same person but with the years I’ve grown tougher and stronger with the adventures and some replacement parts have given me the opportunity to to so. Thank you as always Tony. Hope you are doing well. 🙏🏻💕

Some things to think about here; life is constantly changing. Thanks Tony

I knew the story but loved the retelling. And yes, how wonderful a thing is consciousness, the awareness of our own existence! A precious gift which has enriched the world we live in. Namaste 🙏

Another fantastic story - another meaningful reminder to reflect upon 🙏🙏

Thankfully I have discovered the calming effect of my breath/meditation and experiencing a much more peaceful presence. And so grateful for those inspiriational navigators who offer pondering thoughts such as yourself! Namaste 🙏🏻

Thought provoking and insightful meditation. Thank you!🙏

What a wonderful story, dear Tony. We are all sailing the Seas of Life and our ship is where the heart is. Let’s take the best care of it. Namaste 🤓🙏🏻⛵️

Love this little nugget of a story. It's like a sucking candy - it doesn't last long but I can savor the flavor after. I have to check out the Theseus story referenced in the description. Love mythopoetic connections as a way to understand our lives. Thanks!

Lovely new track. Tony invites us to stop and reflect every day on the wonder of our existence. It's under 3 minutes so a great opportunity for a short mindful pause during a busy day.

This was so beautiful and so significant to each and everyone of us! Thank you Tony for this amazing insight! 🙏🤍