Recently, there has been talk of a "polar vortex." It has snowed almost 60 total inches in Philadelphia this winter and I have been exercising in below zero temperatures all month. But, we all know in just a few more weeks, spring will arrive and we will all be able to enjoy the sunny days outside with nature. Just as all seasons come and go, so will this cold winter. But just as all seasons come and go, so will stages of our lives.
Just six years ago, I was getting ready for college. Nervous and excited, I daydreamed about class, new friends and thought about all the opportunities. And during college, I had an absolute blast. I met so many people and made so many new friends. I learned how to bachata and performed on a step team. I stressed the f*** out over tests and recruiting. I interned in LA. I played more Mario Kart than anyone should in a lifetime and participated in a Microsoft Puzzle Challenge. I had too many experiences to list and I'm grateful for all of them.
But more time has passed and I am now in a new part of my life. I have a job now. And I'm making new friends in a new city. I'm trying new hobbies and discovering new passions again.
But just as college came and went, so will my 20's. And just as my 20's will come and go so will my 30's. And my 40's. And my youth and my metabolism and my healthy complexion and my hair and my health and later my older relatives and my parents and ultimately... my life. Everything will come and go; nothing in this world will linger. We know that the seasons come and go, and we accept it. But how many of us linger in the past or reminisce about the good old days? How many of us fear old age or death?
If we can't accept that our past is in the past, we will not be free. If we can't accept that our childhood or college is over, we will not be free. If we can't accept that a past relationship is over, we will not be free. And if we can't accept that our lives are temporary, we will not be free. We will not be free from either cognitive dissonance or constant fear.
Since impermanence is part of our reality, we should learn to accept it and embrace its fleeting nature.
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