We have endured a lot of loss this past year; here in California, those losses extend back a few years more due to our wildfire seasons; and to be fair, there is always loss.
This is the thing: the first Noble Truth of the Buddha, there IS suffering. It is part of the equation when existence is contained by birth and death, and many of the things that happen in between are completely out of our control. So, then, here is the other thing. Change is inevitable, it is constant, it is the one thing we can count on, and this is a good thing, a sacred thing. Nothing last forever, no state of mind, no state of being, and in that we can take some comfort. How we deal with change is the key to being able to get through life in the most effective way. Some changes are foisted upon us in shocking and disconcerting ways; some changes are slow and plodding, and we may not notice what is happening until some situation forces us to realize that something has changed. The best way to deal with change is through the practice of non-attachment and mindfulness of the present moment. Much anxiety and sleeplessness has been wrought while minds turn over what has already happened and what could happen next. Participating with change at the level of non-attachment is having an acceptance of what is and letting go of our perceptions of what the outcome “should be.” Lives take many turns. If you do your best with what is in front of you, and take changes in stride without worrying about the outcome, you will find more peace and acceptance, and less worry and anxiety.