Petals

petals on the grass ---
you reach for the sun's light rays
only to fall back
KJ

Children are like petals on the grass. They slowly peek out at the world. They find the energy of the Universe and are fascinated. Like the stem and leaves, they grow and develop. A flower emerges. Then, the sunlight disappears. Sometimes the wind blows. They fall back for awhile and regain some strength. The stronger ones find within themselves the desire to again reach for the sun's light rays.

A Time for Everything

White plum blossoms

return to the withered trees ---

moonlit night

Buson

The progression of seasons in nature are necessary illustrations of relationships. What I mean is, is that the concrete changes show cause and effect. People also change and we frequently use the phrases like "during this season of my life." Ecclesiastes 3 (Old Testament of Judaic Christian Bible) expresses that there is a time for everything. So, there is a time for the tree to wither so that there can be a time for blossoms to return. A rhythm exists. An understanding of cause and effect is expressed. Human relationships are like this. Human relationships are challenged to be like this plum tree --- to find energy to produce goodness after difficult events and changes in the environment. This goodness, though, may be difficult to see.