It is our last morning on the mountains at Smugglers' Notch. Our last morning for me to look out of our enclosed patio and appreciate the mountains, the trees, the tranquility, the peace, the cloud formations from this vantage point. And I am filled with both sadness and joy. Sadness because it is the last time for a while I will enjoy this view. Joy because I have had the opportunity to have this time in the mountains. Showing me the dichotomy of life. Even in joy, there is sadness. Even in sadness, there is joy. And where we dwell is up to us. Sadness or joy. Joy or sadness.
Teaching me also just like the heavy clouds that are blowing across the mountains on one side giving the illusion that the trees under them are black and ominous, while; on the other side, the clouds are slightly higher allowing some light on that side showing the trees for what they are green and beautiful, life is exactly the same. Depending on our vantage point, we will see life according to where we are. Imagine if when we arrived here for the first time, the heavy clouds and dark trees were all we saw, I would never know the height of the mountains. I would probably believe Smugglers' Notch is a cold, dark and windy place. I would not know the true beauty and majesty of this place because I had only seen it from its dark side.
But this morning on our day of parting, nature is choosing to show me side by side, its beauty and beast at the same time. Its light and dark. To teach me in every instance there are two sides to every situation. Two sides to everything. Nothing is wrong or right. No one is wrong or right. Everything is as it is meant to be and is viewed according to our vantage point in life. According to where we are in life. According to where we are standing.
This morning even the wind is letting me know of its presence. Howling at me to show me it exists. All week long it has been silent but when I think back, it has been building gradually. The trees are bending and flexing as the wind batters them. Rustling their leaves giving off that haunting yet lilting sound only the wind can make. Changing the whole scenery from the scene we had seen over the past few days. Ushering in the fall. Letting us know summer is coming to an end soon. Showing us what is to come.
I look out the window at the heavy clouds obscuring part of the mountain, at the trees bending in the breeze and I feel both an ending and a beginning welling in me as my vacation is coming to an end and my day to day life is coming back to me. And I savour this moment. This moment of silence.This moment of endings and beginnings meeting in the middle and I am so grateful. Grateful for sitting here and appreciating all the lessons nature has to bring. All the lessons life has to bring when we are still enough and grateful.
I am filled with gratitude for my family spending these past few days together. Really together. Hearing each other without intrusions from the outside world. Exploring together. Being together. Remembering my husband telling us as we sat at dinner last night laughing and talking how much he really loves his family. Even at this moment, still feeling the sincerity of his words permeate my body and the body of my children. Bonding us all together in ways indescribable.
And though this day is grey and full of heavy clouds and wind, it is a day still full of possibility and love. Full of abundance. It is a day that lets me know we don't have to wait for the perfect moment to do anything because every moment is perfect for us. Every moment is waiting for us to appreciate its gift of time. Its gift of breath. Its gift of life.
This morning is our last morning in the mountains of Smugglers' Notch before we make our way back to the hustle and bustle of real life and I am filled with both sadness and joy. Sadness that our time is coming to an end and joy for having experienced this time. Telling me this is joy in every situation as there is sadness - the duality of life. The duality of our existence. Life is all about how we view it and how much we love, give and share. It is about beginnings and endings. Endings and beginnings. But always it is about gratitude. Gratitude for every person, place,situation and thing that comes and goes in our lives because each one of them,whether good or bad, is making us the person we are today.
With gratitude and grace for appreciating this wonderful and relaxing time in Vermont. And though it may be physically coming to an end, it will always remain in my heart and soul with love. Namaste.
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