Ephemeral

Ephemeral: eh-fem-e-ral

Adj.- 1.Lasting for a brief time

2. Living or lasting only for a day, as certain plants or insects do.

N.-A markedly short-lived thing.
[From Greek ephēmeros : ep-, epi-, epi- + hēmerā, day.]

"A sensation which is felt by a person for a certain period of time before needing replenishment can be referred to as ephemeral. Often, happiness is described as ephemeral, as one does not find it as a permanent state, with human lives always varying shades of happiness and disappointment."

We cling with such despair to that which changes. Everything changes. Acquiring acceptance of this is the most difficult thing a person can do. It is so hard just to accept that everything we cherish is impermanent. It seems a universal and innate part of the human soul to cling to the transitory. Yet within this truth there is, paradoxically, great joy. If we can turn it around and look at it from the other side, we can discover that each brief and fleeting moment can be celebrated as the most unique and never to be repeated. We can grasp each moment and coax the most out of it, each joy and each sorrow is a precious experience to be savoured. Each is a moment to experience the umami (deliciousness) of our lives.

We are as fleeting as chalk drawings, our lives are just flashes in the great dance. Yet that doesn't mean they are meaningless. Yes, it's easy to become obsessed with only experiencing the pleasant parts of our lives. Yes, it sounds absurd to suggest that we savour the pain of our lives. Yes, it is a struggle, a constant struggle to wrest meaning out of the daily grind. Certainly much greater minds than mine have tried to solve this. I'm working on defining my reality. I'm working on letting go of old hurts, negative beliefs, and old griefs. I'm working on believing good things about myself (the hardest of all things) and others, good things about our world, and that we do have the capacity to create a beautiful reality.

An excellent thought from Anne's blog: "This takes great courage and an inner peace to listen to others, listen to your soul, listen to your heart and pick and choose a singular reality to believe in."

-The image at the top of this post is the 5,000 year old portal stone, at Newgrange, County Meath, Ireland. Photo taken September, 2000.