The impermanence of life

and a recipe for sautéed green beans with sun dried tomatoes

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”

—Heraclitus, Greek philosopher

Life is a constant dance of change—seasons shift, moments fade, and nothing stays the same for long. This is the essence of impermanence, a quiet reminder that everything we experience is part of an ever-flowing current.

I first heard the phrase “the impermanence of life” last November from Sameera, our Sri Lankan guide. In Sri Lanka, where the teachings of Buddhism are deeply rooted, impermanence is not just an abstract idea but a lived reality. The belief in anicca, the Buddhist concept of impermanence, encourages Sri Lankans—and Buddhists everywhere—to embrace life’s transience with grace, understanding that everything is part of a greater cycle.

Capturing the moment

Still, in those passing moments, we try to anchor time. The hundreds of photos that clog our phones. The texts and messages that flow between us, conversations in real time but not really IRL.

The trick is to strike a balance between living through a filter—a phone, a screen, an app—and being truly present, in the moment. I was reminded of this last week when we saw Tom Jones in concert for the second time (for a full account of our first Sir Tom Jones concert, check out this post from 2022).

The temptation to capture the moment can be overwhelming. All around us there were people with arms held aloft, striving for the perfect photo, the pithy video clip, to be posted later, an algorithmic record of presence, of “being there”, even when we are one step removed. It is, after all, a “live” performance, and we honour the performer with our true presence.

So might I suggest we all try to capture the moment in a different way, to study the lesson of anicca?

Impermanence teaches us that every moment, whether joyful or challenging, is temporary—like waves washing upon the shore, here for a time before retreating. When we release the need to hold on too tightly, we open ourselves to a deeper appreciation for life as it unfolds. Rather than resisting this ebb and flow, we can learn to embrace it, finding beauty in the transience of it all.

Green beans with sun-dried tomatoes

From Biba’s Italian Kitchen, Biba Caggiano

serves 4-6

At first blush, this might not strike you as a particularly exciting or original recipe, a “must-do”. But stick with me on this one.

This straightforward recipe captures the essence of Italian cooking, highlighting the value of high-quality, simple ingredients. Starring still-in season fresh string beans, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and sun-dried tomatoes, everything is swiftly sautéed together to create a dish bursting with flavour.

What makes this recipe even more interesting is how the beans can be used to enliven other dishes. When we decided to make a Niçoise salad for dinner last night, with just a few minutes more, these beans replaced the more prosaic steamed version. They were perfection, and paved the way for further future experimentation.

It’s not just tomatoes and corn that are taking their final stage bows. Italian plums, great big bunches of basil, nectarines, Coronation grapes—and yes, green beans—there’s plenty to make us happy before root vegetables take over. Enjoy every fleeting minute.

Ingredients

1½ pounds fresh green beans, or a mix of green and yellow string beans

3–4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

2 anchovy fillets, chopped

1 tablespoon minced sun-dried tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Trim the stem end of the beans and wash them under cold running water. Bring a medium-size saucepan half full of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the beans and cook, uncovered, until tender but still al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge the beans in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and to set their green color. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure not to let the garlic start to brown. Add the green beans, season with salt and pepper, and stir just long enough to heat the beans through, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.