“Nothing is permanent in this wicked world—not even our troubles.” — Charlie Chaplin
One summer afternoon, I watched my children build a sandcastle by the shore. Their small hands were busy scooping wet sand to shape walls and towers, carefully carving out every detail. They even dug a moat, filling it with buckets of seawater they fetched in joyful sprints. The castle grew more elaborate as the hours passed, adorned with seashells, smooth stones, and bits of seaweed. It was a beautiful sight—a testament to their creativity and teamwork.
As the tide began to rise, the waves slowly encroached on their masterpiece. I could see the water creeping closer, lapping at the edges of their carefully crafted walls. Eventually, the inevitable happened: a larger wave swept in and began to dismantle their work. I held my breath, expecting tears, frustration, or even anger.
Instead, my youngest looked at me, smiled, and said, “It’s okay. We can build another one tomorrow.”
His words stopped me in my tracks. While I mourned the loss of their creation, he accepted it as part of the process, a natural conclusion to an afternoon well spent. In that moment, he taught me something profound: the art of embracing impermanence.
This experience brought to mind the Tibetan Buddhist monks who create intricate sand mandalas. Using colored sand, they spend days or even weeks constructing breathtakingly detailed patterns, each grain placed with precision and care. Yet, as soon as the mandala is complete, they destroy it. The sand is swept away, often scattered into a body of water to symbolize the impermanence of life.
At first glance, this ritual may seem wasteful or even heartbreaking. But the monks see it differently. They understand that nothing in life is permanent—not success, not failure, not even life itself. The act of creating and then letting go becomes a meditation, a way to practice non-attachment and embrace the beauty of the present moment.
We can learn much from sandcastles and mandalas. Life is constantly changing—relationships evolve, seasons pass, and even the most cherished moments slip through our fingers. Yet, we often resist this truth. We hold tightly to what we love, fear losing it, and grieve when it’s gone. This resistance only makes the process of change harder.
But what if we shifted our perspective? What if, like my children, we embraced impermanence as a natural part of life? Imagine the freedom of savoring a moment fully, knowing it will end, and being at peace with that. Imagine letting go of what no longer serves us without bitterness or regret, trusting that something new will come in its place.
Reflection Questions:
- Can you think of a time when an unexpected change led to a new opportunity or growth in your life?
- How might you practice letting go of attachments, both physical and emotional, in your daily life?
- What rituals or habits could help you honor the beauty of fleeting moments?
The truth is, impermanence is not a loss but a gift. It reminds us to appreciate the present, to love deeply, and to live fully, knowing that every experience is temporary. Just as the tide will always wash away the sandcastle, it will also leave a blank canvas, ready for something new.
In the end, the beauty of life lies not in its permanence but in its fragility. Like my children’s castle or the monks’ mandala, what we create is meaningful because it doesn’t last forever.
