Seeds and Sunsets - Meb

           I have been creating a garden lately, tearing out the old patio, gopher-proofing, and replanting for the drought. It's been a long time since I've had such pleasure digging in the dirt, enjoying the sun, the breeze and the sound of the birds. Like the ancients, who celebrated the seasons in Ephesus in honor of the goddess Demeter, I am celebrating, for I think the Spring in me has returned.

         
          Along with the joy of planting and being in the nursery among living, beautiful things, I am also acutely aware of a true sense of loss. I am grateful for this respite in my life; having this space of time to plant also means time to feel things, think about things, assess the past and let go of what I cannot change. As I plant my nasturtium seeds, imagining how they will look in July, I think about how the juxtaposition of loss and death with growth and rebirth is so clearly a part of life. When I plant the new,  I am aware of what went before and can never return. There is loss and grief associated with that. I tell myself that Life Truth and feel what was too hard, or too frightening, for me to feel before.

          But the regret and grief doesn't stay. The woman I was then, when whatever happened, happened, deserves my love and respect. She was brave, she tried very hard, and she did her best. 

          I sometimes get up early now to hear the world wake up. Watching how the sun dispels the darkness underscores that I am alive for another day of possibility. My friend, Patty (the one who was really and truly hit by a bus), also reminds me that every day is a chance to live. My friend, Jack, is fighting cancer and is being reborn this moment with stem cells. And yesterday, I discovered this amazing young man while reading the Huffington Post on Religion. I was moved by his wisdom and ability to seize the moment. Shalin Shah's last wish, that people treasure life and see all the sunsets, has gone viral. You can read what he has to say at:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/12/shalin-shah-sunsets_n_7265846.html 
 

          Like Shalin, we all have a bucket list - those things we hope to achieve or do before we die. But living our life purpose should be at the top of that list. And what I have come to understand and believe is that it is in living each moment that we fulfill our part in the unfolding of God's creation. So be present, be joyful and treasure the moment. Forgive who you were and love who you are, because right now, you are exactly where you are meant to be.