Nowhere better can you understand the precious vulnerability of life than in the desert.
Many cacti flower for just one day. It is magical to be able to see the gift of their bloom knowing how rare it can be. Some cacti endure 30 years of life in the desert before yielding their first flower, and then, just like that, after one day, she fades. Lucky is he or she who stills long enough to recognize this rare occurrence.
The first time I peered into a flower’s universe, she revealed herself. I discovered life in her most glorious form; took a breath, and finally understood.
Life sets her own pace, we have no control over her. The only thing we can do is embrace her fully, for however long she chooses to bloom. Let us admire and recognize the full worth of every being that comes into our lives; be in awe of their existence, for like the flower of a cactus, they may be gone before we can recognize the beauty they brought into our lives.
What a painful and beautiful experience it is to observe a spirit transition to its next life, and to feel the intensity of life as it is juxtaposed with death. For what is life, if not but the beautiful expression that is created from understanding and accepting her impermanence.
In memory of every beautiful being I have had to let go of.
Alma de Colibrí 