Looking around at any group of people, or even being with one person, it's amazing to realize that every single one of us will die. How do we live with this knowledge? We can begin by turning towards any sorrow or sadness that arises in the face of this truth. And then we have a choice -- to expand awareness to include all of the possibilities of feeling, and to recognize that, in this moment, we can also allow ourselves to also feel the joy of human connection in the face of impermanence. This is a choice that we can make in every moment -- not to give in to despair, but to realize that our duty is to delight in what is here right now. We don't have to abandon our sorrow. We only have to feel the possibility of connection and gratitude that can co-exist with sadness and poignancy.(photo of Mt. St. Helens by David Rynick)
