Life is always diminishing. Nothing is permanent. All who are born will die. All things end. I know this. Believing the contrary
will only bring about suffering. Yet, letting go of things that end has always been hard for me.Remember when your heart was first broken? When your first
relationship ended? When your last friendship was over? When someone close to you passed away? Knowing intellectually that everything is always changing doesn't lessen the pain that
comes when you are faced with having to deal with the fact that the end has come—again.
Today a cherished soul whom I took under my wing passed away. She was 95. Once again, the feelings of
loss have momentarily taken over the space where all this intellectual knowledge lives. Often, the realization
of life's impermanence comes to us as death or trauma. Mine first came to me several years ago in the
form of cancer. If you're aware of the transient nature of life and know that the use of your physical body is
temporary, embracing the impermanence allows you to appreciate, to value, to cherish the intangible and
the insubstantial. You will no longer give importance to trivial things. You do give importance to meaningful
relationships that nourish your soul. You do more to support your fellow human beings when they need you most. You follow through on actions that make your heart sing and support your evolutionary growth.
Sometimes you make a commitment to move through a door of change through which you do not intend to return. Your priorities become quite different when you know it can all be gone in an instant.
Buddhists meditate on death and impermanence so as to
encourage themselves to make the most of every moment of our precious human life. I looked after this 90-something woman because in doing so, I made a healing choice not only for her but
for myself. I made a conscious commitment to help make my time with her have meaning, because her life was precious.
They say thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle yet
the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. Life is precious. Each day is precious.
Share your light with another who might count on your light to help them see their way through.
And rest in peace, dear Ada. You will be missed.
February's MONTHLY MANTRA: 