@igm,
Can't you see it's a gradient, a continuum between permanence and impermanence?
In order to be able to think the concept of "change", you have to be able to conceive of a counter-factual: permanence. Now, if you slow down change to 0, you have absolute permanence. If you accelerate change to infinite speed, you have a totally unstable reality. In between those two extremes, you have most stuff.
Most stuff change, some very very slowly, like a stone that may be affected by erosion, over thousands of years, and others very fast, like a liquid flowing. But they never change completely in a split second, and generally keep some characteristics pretty stable over time. Even water flowing does not change into oil.
How much has the sea level risen over the past century? A few cm or something. It does change, mind you, but so slowly that nobody in his lifetime will see a difference.
Did you ever come back at night to the apartment or house you had left in the morning, only to find it occupied by some other family or dude you've never seen before?
You never changed sex, have you? Did you ever become a horse or a bird? Did extra arms grow on your shoulders at some point, or an extra head?
When is the last time you surprised yourself? Or your wife?
When is that last time you changed your mind about something important?
Impermanence is largely a
wish, a dream of infinite possibilities. Life is more complicated.
