Saturday, August 29, 2015

A season in the moment

This is the last weekend in August. Can you believe how quickly the Summer has (almost) passed? Then again, humidity and warmth are forecast to return next week. This seems like as good a time as any to play an end of Summer mind game along the lines of "is now ever not now?"

I've been paying more attention recently to being "mindfully in the moment." I've also been writing these past few days about my anticipation of Autumn's arrival and that season's pleasures. That started me wondering how "being in the moment" fit with enjoying a memory of past pleasure or looking forward to future enjoyment. Fortunately, some wise buddhists have anticipated me and meditated on this question already. But, I don't think that means it's ok to spend all, or even much, of our time thinking about the past or the future instead of living in the now.

"Coffee Talk" in Taylors Falls
"Coffee Talk" in Taylors Falls
Photo by J. Harrington

This morning's "now" included coffee in Taylors Falls as the Better Half and I searched for a local source of chrysanthemums. (I'm usually more mindful after I'm full of coffee.) We found some plants that hadn't yet started to blossom (hard to choose colors) and another place that was sold out. Too early and too late on the same day seems to be the current story on mums.

last year's "wedding" mums
last year's "wedding" mums
Photo by J. Harrington

Looking at past years, I notice that we're several weeks early compared to when we've planted pots of mums last year and the one before. Something else to anticipate while I watch for sources of available stock at a reasonable price. We've yet to plant any mums that made it through the Winter, so I'm hesitant to spend as I would for a house plant. Maybe the co-op will have some.

When the winter chrysanthemums go

Matsuo Basho

When the winter chrysanthemums go,
there's nothing to write about
   but radishes.

Translated by Robert Hass


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