Fear and joy

Don't hold on too tightly to those things you treasure because they are fragile and wonderful and way too delicate to be crushed against fear.

Life has a way of moving that disregards everything we think we know and there is really very little we can do about that.

I think that is why so many religions and cultures have this idea of living in the present, or letting go of the past. It is the only way to truly find some kind of contentment, or joy.

Remember, even as you mourn grandma's passing, it is the memories of her that make that old ornament on the tree so precious. In time, if you allow it, painful memories can become beautiful and mellow with age.

You can choose to cling to the sadness and drown in your tears, or you can float gently in those tears until they become a cradle that allows you to rest and rise up to continue on along a way that will hold new joys, new loves, and probably a few new tears.

Being fearful may keep you safer, but it isn't guaranteed to bring you joy. Joy tends to slide in between the chinks and cracks where you least expect it.