In some Buddhist monasteries monks spend up to a month creating elaborate paintings of sand.
In the west, these beautiful creations would be displayed in galleries or hung in entry ways to be loved and admired for years to come.
In the East, the Monks destroy their creations upon completion, washing the sand away in the river.
Part of the meaning of this exercise is to help them remember that so much of life is transitory in nature and to strive to not become too attached to things that eventually wash away.
It’s easy to get engulfed in business, cars, houses, payments, problems and become attached to things so they fill immense amounts of our consciousness.
When we look at life from a grander perspective, maybe we can see that some things we felt were so important at the time, eventually wash away with the sands of time.
And others that weren’t in the habit of shouting for our attention, carry us upward and onward with infinite waters.
Notice the things that become important to the man or woman who realizes their time on Earth is limited.
Maybe we’re richer than we’ve been giving ourselves credit for.