Summertime And the livin' is easy

This morning while walking through our backyard and looking at our many flowers, before the heat made them stressed later in the day, I found myself humming the tune of a song I was very fond of as a child : " Summertime... And the livin' is easy... Fish are jumpin'... And the cotton is high..." Watching the beautiful opera by Gershwin left a deep impression on my 12 year old heart and mind. The bittersweet feel of the gorgeous song " Summertime" drifted back to me through the years, on moments when I felt both very low and very happy. That seems odd, I know, but it fits in with the dream like quality of the lyrics and music of one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded for an opera. I have lost a lot of family, and through both hard work and a fair amount of luck and mercy, I am blessed with my husband and son, and our cozy, private home in this quiet corner of the Pacific Northwest. The song alludes to the temporary nature of security and happiness : " Oh, your daddy's rich ... And your ma is good lookin'... So hush little baby ... Don't you cry... One of these mornings ... You're going to rise up singing... And you'll spread your wings... And you'll take to the sky... till that morning... There ain't nothing can harm you... With daddy and mommy... Standing by... " It is a profound both mystery and fact that the human condition and  its circumstances are forever precarious. But the strength and appeal of the song for me has always been the depth of the courage to believe in that happiness, no matter the awareness of how elusive that happiness is. I believe there is a certain amount of profound inner freedom in accepting the reality of the human predicament, it enables the capacity to enjoy every precious moment deeply. As I was walking around our colorful backyard, abundant with flowers, veggies and fruit, I realized that the awareness of past loss and sorrow had profoundly enabled me to truly appreciate my happiness now, and the fact that that happiness was fleeting and temporary did not dampen the euphoria of my feelings, or their importance and weight. It was a great moment. Of gratitude, of lightness of being, of acceptance and yes, joy. Joy at the willingness to live in the moment, to jump deep into its pool, its colours and music. Free. To just be. No matter the questions, no matter the scars, no matter. The awareness made me smile, deeply and for quite some time.