Changes other than death

(this is a picture looking our form where I work. A large skyscraper had been torn down and a new one is slowly being put up. This is how it looked last year. In the background you can see the "Alte Oper" Old Opera House, and then in the far background St. Bartholomew's Cathederal where the Holy Roman Emperors were crowned as well as other buildings being constructed with cranes.)

I realized in the past few days how changes can be very uncomfortable and since death is one of the big changes, I sensed how even with some of the little things I can become so disturbed. The first change was to hear from our neighbors, who I really cherish, that they are looking for a new place because she is pregnant again and they need a bigger and better located place. I felt very sad as I had just really felt how wonderful it was to have really fantastic neighbors. Then after that I was at Yoga on Monday and my favorite teacher, who also has an interest in Buddhism and who I've know for almost three years now, told me that she is moving back to the States because her husband works for the diplomatic corps and has been called back to D.C.. Then at work, new classes start in March and some of the participants that I've had, and cherish, since I started in 2001 have been told by their boss that they cannot take English anymore. All of these really jOlTeD me emotionally. Change and loss. Very real even when it does not involve death. This has really pointed out to me how I must remain mindful in such situations and look at the core of the discomfort.

I wish all of these people well in their new endeavors and know that in heart there is always a connection.

By the way the building that has been started has come quite a long way, I'll try to post a picture of it this week. Funny, people at the bank are now sad because of the change of having a new building there. Their view is no longer so nice. Change and change and change and how do we deal with it?