This morning, I was walking my dog around the garden within my home grounds. Among the various trees of all shapes and sizes, there is one low shrub. While other trees have grown tall and are lush with green leaves, this small shrub stands bare, appearing lifeless.
Throughout the summer, each time I passed by, I observed this little tree, noticing its state and practicing cleaning. Even though it was just a small, nearly withered tree that happened to catch my eye as I passed, the very fact that it was there, appearing in my field of vision, meant that it was something I needed to clean with. At times, I felt the urge to uproot it entirely and plant a new seedling in its place. I even found myself feeling as though I was seeing a reflection of my current self each time I looked at that tree. These urges and reflections, I realized, were also things I could clean without ignoring.
This morning, when I looked at the tree, the trunk still looked weak, as though it had been drained of life. But upon closer inspection, I noticed tiny leaves sprouting. Seeing that gave me a feeling as if I was witnessing the rhythm of my own life.
Throughout this summer, my life has been a series of ups and downs. It was a period where feeling at ease was difficult. Looking back, I can say it was a time of change, though when you’re in the middle of it, it’s hard to consciously grasp where all the highs and lows are taking you. When you’re unsure of where you’re being carried, or if you’re merely stagnating without any movement, it can be a painful experience. Yet, everything that happens—every reaction and thought, every experience—is happening as part of a process to restore balance.
Therefore, no matter how much you feel stuck, as long as you keep cleaning, flow continues. Whether it’s anger, sadness, pressure, achievement, or joy, if you feel trapped in any of these emotions, you keep cleaning. If you don’t, you might miss the signs of life.
In life, during difficult times, even in the autumns and winters of our existence, cleaning your reactions and thoughts can bring balance to your life—not only your life but also the places you inhabit and the people and things you interact with. When balance and flow are restored to each of these, beauty, laughter, and enjoyment will once again surface like fresh oxygen.
Peace
Nello Ceccon
