When I walked outside this morning I was struck by how beautiful and dangerous the ice appeared on the trees and on my walking paths and driveway, the glassy surfaces causing my emotions to slip back and forth from delight to fear. Our daily life is a constant tug of war between pleasure and distaste. How do we maintain equanimity with reality? The word awesome denotes this ambiguity. When we are struck with awe, we are witnessing or feeling something overwhelmingly powerful and find ourselves in a conflicting state of admiration and anxiety. Nature often awes us – with majestic mountains, crashing waves, starlit skies – and today with sheets of ice. We are thrilled, yet feel humbled.
Arjuna, the warrior hero of the Bhagavad Gita, demands to see his charioteer, Krishna, in his full divine splendor and is awed by his wonderful and terrible form. Arjuna is both happy and afraid as he views his teacher and friend, yet Krishna urges him to be calm and returns to his gentle four-armed form. When we remain calm we can walk across the ice, whereas if we are tense and awkward we slip. Let us relax this winter season, admiring the cold, the snow, and the ice. Enjoy the cold clear night skies and the sculptured snow banks. Be grateful for the snow removal equipment and operators that work through the night to clear our streets and parking lots. Balance delight and caution with compassion. Slow down, breathe, and the snow will melt!
