At risk of sounding cynical, "changing things so everything stays the same" is a phrase I've read and heard a few times and which I find very interesting. It tries to convey the feeling that we strive to change so many things in the world as a way to preserve some other things as they are.
This connects with your comment that certain things remain eternally unchanged.
See here for an example.
Edit. The original source is apparently Il Gattopardo.