Interesting reflection about emptiness. Indeed, the term is usually interpreted as nothing, because it is viewed from the point of view of the absence of something stable and not of the presence of something variable.

I do believe in the permanence of something static though. An essence, which is precisely that which changes, for something must change must be, and in terms of being, that is, existence, is immutable. We say that something changes constantly, but to change, it must first be, and that is the essence. At least, that is the way I see it.

The difference between Buddhist philosophy and Western philosophy is that the first one studies the whole in a personal, subjective, and first person way. While Western philosophy does so impersonately, objectively and in the third person.

A midpoint for me between the two is the most harmonious state.