Persist Like a River — The Wisdom of Water

Harmonise with change

Thomas Oppong
4 min readMay 25, 2023

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Photo: Martin Sanchez/Unsplash

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”― James N. Watkins

Water, with its timeless and immutable nature, has long been revered as a source of wisdom and a symbol of profound truths.

In contemplating the wisdom of water, we find a powerful metaphor for human existence and the enduring pursuit of our goals.

At the heart of this metaphor lies the notion of persisting like a river, flowing ceaselessly in the face of obstacles and adapting to change.

Consider the essence of a river — a flowing body of water that carves its path through mountains, valleys, and forests.

A river embodies persistence, as it never relents in its journey towards its destination — the vast expanse of the ocean.

Similarly, we encounter numerous challenges, setbacks, and uncertainties in our lives. In these moments, we can draw inspiration from the river and its unwavering determination.

Bruce Lee explains it beautifully, “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing

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Thomas Oppong

Making the wisdom of great thinkers instantly accessible. As seen on Forbes, Inc. and Business Insider. For my popular essays, go here: https://thomasoppong.com