“Memory
All alone in the moonlight.
I can dream of the old days
Life was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again.
Daylight
I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin.”
(“Memory,” from the musical Cats, Barbara Streisand’s version)
We can choose to ruminate about the past, or realize that change is not only coming, it is here. So as dawn brings the new day, are you open to hope and inspiration or will you instead give in to fear and anxiety?
While visiting Yosemite Park a couple of years ago, I learned something fascinating. Due to the lack of forest fires, the growth of the forest had actually been stunted. Imagine a forest being hurt by a lack of fires! Apparently, for many of the trees, when their seeds fall, they often can’t enter the soil because there’s too much foliage on the ground. A forest fire is needed to burn the foliage away and allow the seeds to reach the earth for new trees to grow.
This is a poignant metaphor for what is happening all around us today. The extremely challenging experiences of the global pandemic, combined with the revolutionary changes sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement, are like the fires needed to clear the path for growth.
Like fires, they feel chaotic, even frightening at times, especially while they are happening. And if we are attached to our past or keeping what we have, we would feel a sense of loss. But if we remain open, we will ultimately see how the “fire” cleared the way for exciting new beginnings to take root.
Our “foliage” may be impatience, narrow-mindedness, outdated beliefs, stubbornness, disconnectedness or harmful behaviors that prevent us from being the best version of ourselves for others. Regardless of where each of us stands politically, culturally, economically, or globally, we can no longer deny that we are intricately connected; our actions—or inactions—directly impact the balance of the world.
It is important to remember that there is always a harmony within the chaos of nature and Earth. We are all part of this harmonious balancing system. When we trust this universal truth, we can align and connect with a peace beneath the seeming chaos of our lives.
Let the curative fires burn away the foliage of our ego, making way for the seeds of hope and welcoming a new Earth. And when dawn comes, we will create a new day full of awe, inspiration and better memories.
