Look up, Look Around
Growing up, one of my favorite side trips was going to the Vermont Country Store. They have everything there, including penny candy that is no longer a penny, like Bit-O-Honey, root beer barrels, and licorice string.
It’s located on Route 100 in the small town of Weston, Vermont. My mom loved the drive during the fall foliage, but I never understood her desire to look up at the trees until I got a little wiser.
Mono-no-aware is a Japanese concept that is hard to translate. It’s about impermanence and “the ahhness of things.” It helps us see the never-ending stream of change and heights of our ability to enjoy life by appreciating its fleeting moments like the bursting oranges, yellows, and reds of autumn and the soft pink cherry blossoms this time of year.
As a parent, I tried, although I was far from perfect, to ground myself in mono-no-aware and soak in those quiet moments when my girls fell asleep on my chest and even their teenage years that pushed my limits. It helped me stay present because I knew that the years would fly by even when the days were long.
Today we have more grabbing at our attention than ever, which is why embracing mono-no-aware is essential. It’s so easy to velcro ourselves to how things are or used to be instead of understanding that everything is constantly changing – it’s the beauty of life. There is no “normal”; there’s only now.
A person doesn’t step into the same river twice.
I’m in Italy for a retreat with thirty other folks from New Zealand to Newport this week. Yesterday we started to get to know each other – you could feel the energy of curiosity, nervousness, and like-heartedness. By Saturday, it will feel different because, like nature, we are always changing – including me. I’m not sure how I will be different, but through our shared moments this week, I have faith that the experience will enrich my life.
One of my meditation teachers, Jon Kabat-Zinn, said, “We only have moments to live.” It’s so true. Our lives are a collection of moments to be appreciated because the beautiful experience in them will never be the same. And that’s more than okay because new people, experiences, and beauty will arrive in the next moment, but if we rush around like a hamster on its wheel, it’s hard to see because our view never changes.
So, look up; there’s beauty all around you. I don’t want you to miss seeing it.
Happy Earth Day weekend. Until next week, have fun storming the castle.
Michael
p.s., Don’t forget to sign up for May’s Ripple Challenge® as we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month. It will be another life-changing experience, but you won’t know how unless you participate.
