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Another study of Impermanence:
I have been sitting with this statement for a couple of weeks now. It started off as words spoken by an elderly lady’s family member. I’ve heard it many times before. “That’s never happened before”. This time it was a suggestion of fault that somehow someone did something wrong or was deficient in their job. When I heard this the voice in my head was responding with things like; “of course it hasn’t happened before but now that she is 90 with failing health and worsening dementia and not eating much there is going to be a lot going on that has never happened before..” While my insides were a bit topsy turvy my response was somewhat calmer and polite.
Yesterday Karen and I went to Savage Neck Dunes for a beach walk. When we arrived at the beach I was reminded of the words, “That’s never happened before.” Where there was usually sand there was a coating of thick grass that was brought up from the bottom of the bay and deposited on the beach. In places it was almost 2 feet deep. It was squishy and wet and in early stages of decay offering an interesting bouquet. In places it was like walking on a giant featherbed mattress. (only wet and smelly).
Every step to be taken has “never happened before” and every step made will never happen again. I imagine if I were to ever get struck by lightening I might have a voice that says, “wow.. that’s never happened before”. (Talk about En-Lightenment… )
The beach is constantly eroding and moving to other parts. (like our bodies ) We see loss. The beach isn’t lost. It just moved. Now it is coated in thick eelgrass. It smells different and feels different. It makes for some interesting thoughts and images.