Spring is in full swing in north east Victoria; irises, wisteria, dandelions and rhododendrons, iridescent green leaves bursting, bees and baby birds nesting.
My daughter’s birthday is in the middle of spring and brings memories of the Jacaranda in full bloom on the day she was born. She turns six next week.
“Where does the time go”, is a statement that seems to be more regularly on my lips. It’s this tug-o-war between wanting to hold on to her at each age but so happy that she is growing into the magnificent being she is. Watching her grow and change is like a microcosm of life in general, of impermanence at its core.
Like the constant change of season, the comings and goings, arising and ceasing, like waves on the ocean, like wind in the trees and like the rain.
Change is ever present yet we tend to hold on with all our might, trying to escape this universal law. How can we outsmart impermanence? Distraction, numbing out, preoccupation, avoidance, non-acceptance, belief? It’s futile.
Parenthood brings vast lessons in impermanence, because it’s the one time in our lives that we see it so clearly, in our children. The constant state of change and evolution that they are in and that we are in with them.
It is hard to be reminded of it when we don’t want things to change. How can we embrace change with cultivated awareness?
Knowing deep down that if we can flow with ease and grace into the perpetual arising and ceasing, we could possibly live our lives with more compassion for ourselves and others.
And knowing that things will always be ending gives a sense of really appreciating what is now.
Soon the scorching heat of summer and the Christmas holidays will be upon us. We won’t be lighting the wood stove anymore and will switch the aircon to cool mode. The summer fruits will arrive with abundance and we will be searching out swimming spots by the river.
But for now I’m soaking in spring and its loveliness, the cool mornings and warm days. I haven’t packed away the woollen’s yet as snow is forecast next week. And I’m soaking in my daughter at this age and stage, still a five year old for one more week.
Happy spring to you and here’s to more presence and acceptance with the ever changing nature of life.
Alli
