impermanence

At Sangha this week, we talked about the idea of impermanence. Tim, who led the meditation, talked about the fact that good things in life can be valuable teachers. He said that when things are going poorly, it is easy to recognize that there was a lesson to be learned. When things are going well, it is more difficult to realize that. He said that success is addictive, that when you get some you want more. In Buddhist teachings it is often talked about that grasping for things or feelings leads only to more grasping.
We then split up into groups to talk about the ideas presented.
One woman in my group talked about her daughter being nominated for an award. She said that when her daughter didn't win she found herself thinking that the school should have given every student an award. As she drove away she asked herself if she would have been so equitable if her daughter had won.
Then someone pointed out that not getting excited about the good things sounded lame; at this point a young man spoke up. He said that to enjoy the good moments you observe them, he described good moments as clouds in the sky.
The best way to handle any moment, good or bad, is to observe it without becoming identified with it. You simply live in the moment, watching it, knowing that it will pass. To be at peace and eliminated grasping, you need to embrace the idea of impermanence.