I notice how the world contains both grief and joy, birth and death, lightness and darkness, often so closely situated in time that we are left only with a sense that all are part of the whole. When there is darkness, there will also be light. Feeling joyful, I may also experience great sadness. I see this, and I breathe and I step back, grateful for the vantage point and the fluidity of existence.
I lost two people in my life suddenly in the past few months. One was a beloved friend with whom I’d shared many happy memories in the past and whose love for nature and animals rivaled all others. The other was a client whose wonderful sense of humor and keen insight were a joy and inspiration.
In the midst of the sadness and shock surrounding both losses, I have also experienced great happiness through the celebration of two of my wonderful, forty-something, female friends making the decision to become mothers. Their optimism and joy at welcoming their babies into the world has been heartwarming, inspiring, and contagious.
The juxtaposition of these experiences has awakened me more fully to the wholeness of my life and emotions. It has also encouraged me to reflect on larger meanings, the interconnectedness of all living beings, and the interrelationship of darkness and light. Needless to say, I don’t have it all “figured out” – and I realize that there really is no such thing as “figured out.” What I can do is breathe, open my heart to myself and others, and do my best to see the whole and keep a big picture in mind. In the midst of doing this, I also hope to bring people together more and more in connection and community. When two or more are gathered in pain, the grief is shared and the burden eased. When two or more are gathered in celebration, the happiness can be a ripple that spreads outward to inspire and uplift us all.
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