A few weeks ago I learned about the Japanese word komorebi, which as I understand it, literally translates as “sunlight leaking through trees”. It’s a word that describes the way light hits the ground after filtering through branches and leaves. Like so:
In the summer, this effect is everywhere in my community. Being so commonplace can make it invisible, so it’s something I’ve been challenging myself to pause and notice. Doing this has introduced a just little more calm and reflection to my days right now, and also encouraged me to notice other small moments of beauty and tranquility in otherwise ordinary circumstances. I’ve been looking downward a lot!
(It’s funny because there are times in my life where I need to remind myself to look up, as I’m brooding and drooping my head as I move through the world. Physically looking upward honestly helps me break out of that. Sometimes you gotta look up, and sometimes you gotta look down.)
The other thing about komorebi is that the pattern of light and shadow you see exists once, in the moment you see it, and is never quite the same again. If you return to the same spot tomorrow, the wind might be different, or the clouds, or the way the branches and leaves are arranged. Even an hour later and the sun’s angle will have changed. Heck, if there’s even a mild breeze, the pattern changes from moment to moment.
Thinking about this also helps me to notice things and find the New, or the Different, in the everyday and the routine. No two days are exactly the same! I learned a little of this when doing daily trips to Winnipeg last summer, and commented on it in these pages. It’s come back around again. For instance, I’ve walked my little boy over to his daycare dozens of times, so I ask myself, how is this one different? Are we talking about something new? Is there something to wonder about along the way? What can I see or hear?
It’s a way to stay present and interested, and to appreciate the fact that I’m still here and, and I get to experience new things each day. Even if they’re very small.
One Last Thing!!
This year we’ll be running our Lemonade Stands for Hope fundraiser for CancerCare Manitoba again! Please save July 26th on your calendars, and keep an eye on this site for more details as they come in 🙂
I will keep the date in mind