Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn,
a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter.
If your mind isn’t crowded with ten thousand things,
this is the best season of your life.
— Wumen Huikai
It’s not that our minds are ever really “empty.” Even when I meditate I’m still thinking thoughts, and my teacher says that’s normal. But it’s possible to declutter your “crowded” mind—when you sit quietly for a moment, or go on a walk, and take a deep breath. Such a simple thing! To appreciate this moment. But when you find joy in the little things—I’m listening to a squirrel drop nuts from a tree—life feels lighter (you feel lighter!) and you realize you’re standing in the best season. You always were.