The first day of Spring in the Celtic Calendar, even though you would not think so with the cold snap which has hit us after a mild January.
A text I have posted before but I really like its simplicity.
It is often wiser just to let things happen rather than forcing the universe into how we think it should be
Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
Spring comes, and the grass grows, by itself
Basho
A first month over. Time passes and seasons change..
Become Passers-By
Gospel of Thomas, 42
Another possible but less likely translation is, ‘Come into being as you pass away’; A medieval author, Petrus Alphonsi, preserves a saying much like saying 42 in his Clerical Instruction: ‘This world is, as it were, a bridge. Therefore, pass over it, only do not lodge there.’
In other words, by meditation practice get grounded in a still center during this life, finding a permanent home there instead of being tossed around by samsara, this world of changes.
Commentary on the Gospel of Thomas at earlychristianwritings.com
Its not a matter of letting go – you would if you could.
Instead of “let it go”, we should probably say “let it be”
Jon Kabat Zinn
We know the world only through the window of our mind. When our mind is noisy, the world is as well. And when our mind is peaceful, the world is, too. Knowing our minds is just as important as trying to change the world.
Haemin Sunim, The Things you can see only when you Slow Down
I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou
As David Whyte says, we have many allies as we make our way through each day and each week – the blue sky, the wind on our face, the yellow daffodils blooming early because of the mild early Spring. If we can notice them we get some space from the worrying thoughts that accompany us
To feel abandoned is to deny the intimacy of your surroundings
David Whyte
Mindfulbalance 