How fruit falls -- and we die (Ajahn Chah)

Ajahn Chah (ajahnchah.org), Ellie Askew, Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Everything happens for a reason? WTF?

Sometimes, when a fruit tree is in bloom, a breeze stirs up and scatters its blossoms to the ground.

Some buds remain and grow into small green fruit. The wind blows again, and some of them fall.

Others may become yellow or red fruit, nearly ripe -- or some even fully ripe -- before they fall.

So it is with people. Like flowering fruit in the wind, we also fall in different stages of growth.

Die smiling. It helps rebirth. Sister Maria, 43

Some of us die while still in the womb, others a short time after being born. Some of us live for a few years then die, not having reached maturity. Males and females die in their youth. Still others reach a ripe old age before dying.

When reflecting on living beings, consider the nature of fruit in the wind. The life of both is very uncertain.