same same but different

The river has a name but the water is never the same so why do we call the river by name.   I use to think that there was an I and that I was, am now and will be in the future,  There is not a cell in my body that knew my father and yet I hold my father in my memory... so why do we call my I by name.  The candle is a series of wick igniting, going out and passing on the flame to the next.  The light is but quivering stimulated filament passing the illumination... it is not just a light..but light light light only in the now and always the same but different.  With each now there is an opportunity for a shift toward our purpose and not our accumulations, accomplishments, nor distractions..... so i am the same same but different.