Rev. Clovis Jones and Rabbi Benjamin Solomon were fishing on the Pedernales River.
“I always thought I would be an adult by now,” mused the Rabbi. “My congregation thinks of me as completely mature. No one sees the little child running around inside of me. I can’t ever seem to completely grow up.”
The Reverend nodded laughing. “I know what you mean. When I was in seminary I thought that I would someday believe everything in the Apostles’ Creed, but I have as many doubts as ever. So when do we arrive?”
Texas Buddha, who did not fish, was sitting near his friends, dangling his feet in the muddy water.
“Change is the law of life. Therefore, we should give up any thoughts of perfection or certainty. The river we fish in today will not be the same tomorrow. Today’s map of this river will soon be a memento and not a guide. The only arrival is coming to this present moment as it is now. The only perfection is to remain in harmony with life as it changes.”
The Reverend frowned, “But if the universe is change, how can the creeds be timeless? Are they just mementos of an earlier time?”
“No.” Texas Buddha responded, “The purpose of a creed is not to map an unchanging universe. The purpose of a creed is to tune our hearts to the music of life’s changes.”