.
“If there were no
cherry blossoms
in this world
How much more tranquil
our hearts would be in spring.”
-Ariwara no Narihira, Kokinshuu
Every year, I look forward to cherry blossom season with great anticipation. I love to sit under the pink clouds of delicate blooms, and wax poetic on the beauty of life. (A few years ago, I fulfilled a lifelong dream, and spent two glorious weeks in Japan doing just that.)
When we lived in the US, my husband and I planted our own Yoshino sakura in our backyard. We’d while away whole afternoons lying under its branches, drinking sake, reading haiku, and letting the spring breeze scatter thousands of pink petals upon us.
This year, we visited Britain’s national collection of cherry trees at Batsford Arboretum in Gloucestershire, and were also fortunate enough to encounter quite a few during our walks in the English countryside.
I used to think life would be more beautiful if the cherries bloomed all year round; but, somewhere along my minimalist journey, I realized that life is more beautiful because they don’t.
Their very ephemerality is what makes cherry blossoms so special. They only bloom for two weeks each year – and sometimes less, if rain and wind strip their branches of petals prematurely. We have no control over when they enter or leave our lives; we can only wait patiently for them to flower, appreciate every minute they’re in bloom, and then watch the petals fall to the ground.
In fact, hanami (cherry blossom viewing) can teach us much about minimalist living:
1. Seek beauty in nature, rather than in stores. You can’t buy a beautiful sunset, a star-filled sky, or a field of wildflowers at the mall—nor can you wrap them up, take them home, and display them on a shelf. Instead of filling your home with decorative objects, look outside to satisfy your desire for aesthetic beauty.
2. Appreciate things without owning them. Don’t feel the need to acquire everything you fancy. Be satisfied to “window-shop,” and appreciate the beauty of a necklace or artisan vase—just as you would a spring flower—without bringing it home.
3. Go with the flow. Don’t try to control the events, things, or people in your life with an iron fist. You’ll feel much happier, and more serene, if you let things happen of their own accord.
4. Nothing lasts forever. Recognize that you can’t hold onto everything indefinitely, and that some of the most beautiful things in life are the shortest-lived.
5. Let things go. Cherry blossoms fall at the height of their beauty, rather than withering on the branch. Allow possessions to fall from your life in the same way, like petals scattered to the wind. (For example: donate your wedding dress or heirlooms before they deteriorate in the attic.)
While I’m always a little sad when cherry blossom season ends, I come away from the experience with new enthusiasm for my minimalist lifestyle. They remind me of the insignificance of material items, and how little one needs to truly be happy.
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Nothing can compete with nature for true beauty. We are surrounded by it daily. I love bringing it indoors and blurring the line between inside and out. A friend recently invited me over for tea in her garden and I was astounded by the beauty of her cherry blossom tree. You can see it here if you would like.
http://thegardenerscottage.blogspot.com/2010/04/tea-and-cherry-blossoms.html
Thanks, janet — the tree is *beautiful!* What a lovely way to spend a spring afternoon!
Beautiful, poetic post. I used to hesitate to plant items in our garden that had such a brief blossoming period – favoring sturdier plants that we could ‘count on.’ But your post has reminded me of the importance of appreciating what is beautiful and ephemeral. thanks for this.
I appreciate the nice words, ami! I miss my tree dearly, but am happy to visit others around the world. :-)
Beautiful thoughts.
Last night, I’m with my dog at the park hitting golf balls. Hanging out with my dog, playing my golf, enjoying the sunset. Doesn’t get much better.
I know, Mike — these experiences are a million times better than anything you can buy.
I really appreciated your post – I have always felt sad that the beauty of the cherry blossom is so fleeting, but I will always look at it differently now.
I too am learning that I can take delight in the beauty of something which is for sale, without needing to take it home.
It’s similar to the way I can sometimes look at a beautiful and perhaps much younger woman and admire her loveliness, without feeling that she has stolen anything from me, or diminished my own worth in any way. I wish I had learned this lesson earlier, but better late than never.
Hi Julia! I love your point about being able to admire someone else’s beauty in an objective way — without feelings of envy, inferiority, etc. Wonderful!
The ability to glean joy from the acquisition and loss of beautiful things is an envious one. For most the idea of losing something beautiful is sad, but even transitioning that feeling to bittersweet and appreciating the fact that you just got to experience such beauty is a trait to be pursued.
Thanks for the lovely comment, Nick! I feel that my life is much richer for such experiences, however fleeting.
Lovely post! For me, it’s autumn. I live in a location with four seasons, and the slow turning of the leaves from green to orange, red, and gold is something I look forward to all year. I eagerly await the first glance of a stray patch of leaves changing color, even when it happens in early August! My daily commute takes me past the border of a nature preserve, so I have plenty of trees to look at.
For me, it’s an aching beauty when the blaze of summer becomes the gentle light of October (my favorite month!), and autumn falls into winter.
I agree, Tradd — autumn is a gorgeous time of year! I used to live in the northeastern US, and would anxiously await the changing of the leaves…
What a beautiful analogy. I love cherry blossoms as well and would love to view them as you did in Japan.
Here in France, there’s another cultural reference to cherries–“le temps de cerrises” literally, this refers to cherry season, except that it also has very strong nostalgic connotations–these are the good times. It reminded me of what you said about the blossoms being out all year–if that were true, there would not be cherries. . .and times change. We need to seek the beauty in the whole cycle.
Hi Simple in France! “Le temps de cerrises”…love how the French language so beautifully sums up such a sentiment.
Thanks for this beautiful post, MM. As I tend to want to control things a lot, it’s nice to be reminded in such a beautiful way of lessons 3 and 5, go with the flow and let things go.
Glad you liked it, Mia. I’ve found that these lessons in particular have made my life much less stressful. :-)
I enjoyed reading this! I was recently noticing how I was mourning the swift passage of strawberry season. But once it’s over, I don’t have any desire to buy strawberries out of season – I’ve been completely spoiled by the experience of fresh-picked berries. So while they are ripe and plentiful, I’ll revel in them. Later it will be tomato and then blueberry season, and I will milk those times for all they’re worth too. The point to this little story is that I realized that I would rather enjoy the full sensory experience of food in season than insipid imitations year round! I think “ephemerality” is my new favorite word.
Oh, I totally agree, Marie! I *love* savoring (and looking forward to) seasonal produce. Eating like this gives you lots of little things to celebrate all year round. :-)
I have been exploring the nature of impermanence. There is a buddhist belief on this topic and as an artist, I find it fascinating – to create (or as you discuss, experience)something that isn’t permanent. To enjoy something lovely that will pass away and enjoy it more because it will not remain. I find this applies to friendships as well. I used to mourn the loss of people passing through my life – those that physically move, die, or that I lose track of or even have a falling out with. I now appreciate that some people were in my life for just a short time and I am quite happy to know that they made their impression on me and changed me somehow, and moved on. I am pleased to know that they are “out there” somewhere doing and being what and who they are.
This is a perfect post and one I needed to hear. I have been purging my home and as more space develops the more at peace I become. I love the cherry blossoms too but you are right, we should not have them everyday. We would never hold them in awe if they were part of our e ery day life.
I’ve never understood why anyone would want to live in an area where the weather is the same year round.My favorite season is spring,like alot of people,but it would be hard to appreciate if we had it all year.I appreciate all seasons for what they are,and even more because they don’t last.
Here in Chicago, we truly get all 4 seasons. I love to watch for the first buds on the trees in early spring and then the various flowers, as the daffodils, then tulips, open. We have a system of forest preserves around the area, so we also look for migratory birds passing through and ducklings on parade.