Presence + Impermanence

Spring is in full bloom

What a stunning time of year in Michigan. After months of winter, spring has finally burst into bloom!
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Every day is a new feast for the senses: the pungent smell of lilacs, the sound of new bird songs, the thrill of seeing trees leafed out, the taste of ramps and asparagus, the feel of the earth as we plant new seeds . . . the vibrancy all around is revitalizing!

“Understanding yourself is power.
Loving yourself is freedom.
Forgiving yourself is peace.
Being yourself is bliss.”
~ ConsciousReminder.com

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Living in a state of flow
Okay. So . . . maybe it’s all the new windows that just got installed in our old house? (It’s a bit shocking how clearly I can see out now! 😉) Or, the fact that our dear neighbors recently returned from Palm Springs? (Seriously, you two. We want you to carve out more time in Michigan! 🥰) Or, simply that I’ve added multiple puppy walks, allowing me to slowly stroll and look around, into my daily routine? (Thank you, Javier! 🐶)

No matter the explanation, May seems extra beautiful and festive to me!

Restaurants are re-opening, art exhibitions are happening, more people are at the yoga studio, and folks around town have an extra smile and a bounce in their step. I love the increased vitality.  

Along with the additional energy and enhanced beauty, I have noticed a bit of strain coming into my being. Of course, I wanted to dig into the reason(s) behind that.

Through my gentle internal investigation, here’s what I’ve come up with so far: I have some challenges in my relationship to time. I could say lots about this, but let’s just say I am gaining a better understanding of how I respond to busyness.

You see, I really love to live my life in flow. And, for me, moving in flow means my life has a sense of harmony and clarity. My energy is available to meet the moment. I connect to people around me from a place of presence.

Living this way, showing up this way, is important for me. I value, and I actively prioritize, being in this state of flow.

The word “flow” embodies a natural sense of movement. Everything has its moment where it surfaces, and nothing gets stuck. Watching spring unfold is a gorgeous representation of this impermanence. Just as I start to mourn the fading of the lilacs, I look across the driveway to see my irises about to burst into bloom and notice that my peonies have so many buds!

Asparagus never lasts long enough, but then there’s the first pint of Michigan strawberries that pops onto the shelf.  My favorite bed of trilliums, and the street corner bursting with poppies . . . they are gone too quickly.

Nothing is permanent.

It’s nice to know this also applies to moments of challenge, stress, and difficulty.

When I notice my own edges of tension, or strain, or fatigue, I want to acknowledge them. Respect them. Allow them to reveal to me what I need to know, what I might need to shift, so that I can move through and shift back into flow.

The joyous wonderful moments, and the dark, difficult ones . . . none of it lasts.

Here’s to being present, so that we can be in flow with whatever is blooming, whatever is surfacing, in the moment.

I hope spring finds you feeling good and moving in flow.

Big love,

~ m

P.S THANK YOU to Theresa Gray for the gorgeous images above. These are just a small sample of the stunning paintings she creates, and I can’t wait to see her most recent work in person next month!