Things That Matter

Why not live as through each moment could be our last? Then wouldn’t everything that happens in time become delicate, refined, transparent; every sight and smell, every encounter become sacred? Wouldn’t everything reveal itself as so fragile that our heart would open? That is what the enlightened heart is: total openness without fear to the deep-felt impermanence of life.

When we review the events of this life on the cosmic videotape, the cosmic “instant replay”, we will see how unaware we often were of the true importance of things. We often wanted things so much that we didn’t even notice how much quality of life we gave up and how much peace of mind we sacrificed in order to have cellular phones, televisions in every room, new cars – all the things that count for ZERO in the deeper, eternal part of ourselves.

The things that matter the most in our lives are not fantastic and grand. They are the moments when we touch one another, when we are there in the most attentive and caring way.

When we come to the end of our lives and look back, the questions we will not usually ask are, How much is in my bank account? or What did I build? or the like. The questions most likely to be asked are very simple:

– Did I love well?
– Did I live fully?
– Did I learn to let go?
– Did I learn to forgive and live from spirit of the heart instead of the spirit of judgment?

Ultimately, our true contribution to life is the love we add to the world. Everything else comes and goes. Sharing our love will happen spontaneously among us when we allow ourselves to be simple and real and to live fully in the present moment.

 

Emerging Butterflies

As we begin a new year, our thoughts naturally go to new beginnings and transformations. One of the best metaphors for this is the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly.

The caterpillar encases itself and is forced into a dark small area where it cannot be distracted by anything. No longer can the sun and rain enter its world. It is alone in the darkness wrapped in what it has spun from inside. Only by facing the darkness does the caterpillar’s body begin to spread out and its light, beautiful wings begin to form.

The caterpillar must shed its last attachment to the dark, cramped space it has gotten used to – a form of familiar comfort – and begin breaking through the barrier of self in which it has wrapped itself. It doesn’t have a clue what lies beyond, but it responds to a higher calling anyway.

IF a human helps the butterfly break through the cocoon, it will never fly. Only by finding the strength to break through the last attachment can this delicate being with a body so light and fragile, fly free.

If a caterpillar were given a choice, it might remain in its cocoon where everything is comfortable and familiar rather than coming out to be a butterfly. The caterpillar does not comprehend what it is becoming. We are in a similar predicament. We spend our time and energy trying to improve the cocoon, a little paint here, some wallpaper there, and we will have a great looking cocoon. We don’t realize we are growing into something that will have the freedom to fly away in perfect bliss. Someday we will outgrow our present condition and have wings that will take us to heights we cannot imagine at the present time.

All of life is preparation for transition from one state to another, from one circumstance to another. The winds of change may come as a fierce hurricane ripping our life asunder or as a tender breeze that caresses our cheeks.

Honoring the truth of change allows our experience of darkness to be part of the greater whole. It asks the heart to be present and trust at deeper and deeper levels. It asks us to risk becoming butterflies while still in our cocoons.