Old friends pass away, new friends appear.
It is just like the days.
An old day passes, a new day arrives.
The important thing is to make it meaningful;
a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.
- Dalai Lama
Photo by Nina Luong on Unsplash
Fall is my favourite season; I love the colours, the crisp cool air, but most of all I love the vegetables! As I was harvesting my garden I began thinking about abundance… Have you ever noticed how the most abundant times are usually at an end? We see this in nature during a fall harvest, but this also can be noticed at end of relationships, in the workplace and whenever we have to say goodbye.
As a kid, I moved around every few years, each time, I would have to say goodbye to my best friends, and start over again. As this became a pattern in my life, just before I had to say goodbye I would freeze out my friends by picking small fights to push them away. I now know this was a protective pattern I developed; it was easier to convince myself that I didn't like someone than to feel the grief of letting them go.
As an adult, I spent a lot of time travelling and meeting incredible people. With each encounter, I softened my protective pattern and realized that these connections were fleeting. The fact that I cannot see every student or hug my friends abroad doesn't mean that the time we shared was not meaningful. The meaning comes from the abundance of love and memories that are left behind, and the faith that another season will come.
Food For Thought Are you coming to the end of a season? Take some time to sit with your feelings and notice anywhere that is frozen or resistant. See if you can stay in that for a few minutes and investigate. How it would feel if you saw this through the lens of love and gratitude?
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