Returning

10-8-26

“May all beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion.”

– the 4th Immeasurable

Since childhood I had this compulsion to pick up fallen things on my walks.

The acacia leaves from my walks with Shoya, the maple leaf at my feet on my first visit to Delft, the twigs from the temple ground in Nikko, and the bougainvilla that floated from above and landed softly on my head one winter morning in Nepal are still with me.

Last week for the first time, I decided not to take my forest find home.

That morning was my first encounter with a tree that carried saga seeds. It was also my first sighting of seeds in their pod.

We had found it among the leaf litter as we were wondering aloud if it was the season of dispersal.

Before that, I’ve only known saga seeds in little bottles in shops.

Saga seed red is irresistible to me. Apart from being an awesome lipstick colour, it evokes memories of temple doors & tori gates, portals to otherworldliness.

As I studied the little scarlet hearts nestling in their perfect pod of copper gold, I felt I was given a glimpse to another world…a world where every thing is already complete in their essence. No further improvement needed.

After oohing & aahing over our discovery, and I would have taken 10 000 pics of it had it not been for my friend, Marcus’ calm restraint, I returned the hearts in gold to the foot of the Saga Tree, where they belong. 🙏