Mind is sparkling water
Thoughts rising like bubbles
Some may stick to the glass
And linger longer but
Everything changes
One moment to the next
 
Mind is a highway
Thoughts rushing like cars
Different colors and makes
Coming from somewhere
And going somewhere
Not here to stay
Even if there is a traffic jam
Or an accident making them
Linger longer, that too will pass
 
Everything changes
Bubbles disappear
Sparkling water looks still
Rush hour passes
Traffic slows down
Mind gets quieter
Like the highway at night

Mamata Misra
​(In 2007, I had spent two weeks in India touring through the Himalayas. During that time the precursors of several poems were born, including this one. It transformed years later, in 2015, to this form.)

​The approaching autumnal Equinox, marking the beginning of a new season, reminds me to practice mindfulness with a beginner’s mind. The imminent change of season will become prominent soon, when days become short and nights long, sun setting earlier and rising later, average temperatures dropping, and leaves changing their colors or falling. I am reminded that change is the only certainty in life, that is occurring all the time whether we notice it or not.
 
The Autumnal Equinox reminds me to appreciate beauty and joy with gratitude when present, but to let go at the time of passing: the moderate weather, the fall colors, the sighting of a migrating bird, and holidays with family, friends, and community. Equinox’s equal lengths of daytime and nighttime, and the balance of light and darkness, remind me to balance my reactions to the opposites encountered in life such as pleasure and pain, noticing them equally, without clinging to or pushing away either. It reminds me to balance my energy level by noticing and equalizing depleting and nourishing activities, for self-care and care of others. 
 
Tales of resilience are written abundantly in Nature, visible even in our back yard! How trees slow down their growth in autumn and focus on what is most needed to survive through the winter ahead! How leaves die a colorful death for the trees to survive! How squirrels dig and scatter their food in their underground pantry for safekeeping through winter! How birds migrate to safety flying thousands of miles of unimaginable distance using their tiny wings! 

Mamata Misra
September 22, 2021