river of time

So I had a thought the other day, mostly about time and how it is perceived. I once had the conception of time as something that we succumb to, as we move through it. However, time is merely a way to express one moment to another, in a linear direction. we do not move through time, we are constantly stationary in the now, and "time" moves through us. Its almost as if we are standing in a stream, time being this stream. depending on which choices we make dictates which part of the stream we are in, however; as we stand in this stream, and it rushes past us, it is up to us what we choose to take from the stream of time, and what we choose to let flow by, and sometimes more importantly, what we choose to throw back into the stream of time. with this being said, there is the concept that we are potentially floating down the stream belonging to someone else. also, on a similar note, people do not change. you are who you are, however; in elaboration of this thought, the way we respond to situations changes based on previous experiences. more or less what you pick from the stream is apt to change, but that could be based upon previous things you have picked out of the stream that have hurt, or gotten you more wet than you anticipated or so on. you are however, the same being standing in the stream, regardless of the water level or toxicity of the stream, able to recall thoughts and ideas from previous things taken from the stream. ( I know i can recall thoughts and ideas from when I was seven, in modern terms, people would say that I have changed, which my actions and mindsets certainly have, but the fact that I can recall ideas, memories, and concepts from 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17 , 20, 21, and so on, indicate to me, that I am the same person, just capable of making better choices based on reactions from previous experiences. thus, I am the same person, and i havent changed, but merely my responses have changed to situations, as the situations present themselves as I stand in the stream, different things float by in spring than in the fall, and yet, I am still in the same stream. )