Impermanance

            Everything’s different. When will we back to normal?
            Never. Always. It’s complicated.
            I named my blog “You’ll Never Be Quite the Same” for Rachel Field’s poem, but the phrase’s relevance is far-reaching. Of course everything’s different, and will be again, for all time. Buddhist ideas of impermanence hold deep wisdom that I’ll probably seek for the rest of my life. It’s easy to look ahead with excitement. It’s easy to look back with nostalgia. Somehow it’s harder to be fully present in the now.
            Nellie said she tries to curb her anticipations of Fiona’s future: when she rolls over, when she stands, when she talks, when she can walk holding hands.
            “I stop and remind myself that she is part of our lives now; she's here; this is it.” Fiona’s “now” is miraculous.
            I’ve traveled a related road regarding my physical body, wasted time ruing what I have, wishing for a past or future superior model. In ten years, won’t I look back and covet my 59-year-old body?
            Let go. Don’t clasp impermanent things with fear. Celebrate the flow.
            Once you release attachments, the fear of change, you liberate yourself to immerse in the beauty of this very moment. Do what you’re doing; be here. Love right now.
           
My 60th year in 60,000 words
Day 261: 208 words, TOTAL = 44,345; 15,655 remaining