Birth is the first step towards death, and like the ever revolving seasons, it is only one phase of the cycle.  For many the focus consists of remembering yesterday, seeing today and fearing tomorrow.  There are some who understand the repetition of the cycles, the earth revolving around the sun giving us day and night, washing today into yesterday and tomorrow into today.  Like the tides that draw back the oceans from our shores and then release the waters again to wipe the slate clean for another day.  The seed that sprouts, roots, leafs and grows. That forms the plant which stands tall, bears fruit that ripens and falls from the vine. Finally the leaves of the shrub yellow and die, dropping from the stem and then too the stalk bends towards the earth from whence it came.  It caresses the soil in death to leave behind the seeds that will germinate and grow in another season.

Man is the only mammal that lives on past its time of reproduction.  In the years of growth little time is spent on the thoughts of what will be far into the future, the joys of youth pass so quickly as the child matures.  The adult then focuses on survival and repopulating which fills the days of young maturity.  Once the body has accomplished these tasks in the evening life just before dusk the life is reviewed, lived again and eventually relinquished to the cycle of death.

This is the way of succession, not to be feared as an end only a revolution towards the return to life.  All things are repeated.

                 Cheryl C. Helynck

                            1999