Sakura in Seattle

Cascading cherry blossoms

Our cool, gray Seattle spring is prolonging the cherry blossom season here.  Sakura, or cherry blossoms, are so lovely this year. 

Garr Reynolds, one of the bloggers I follow at Presentation Zen, recently wrote about the cherry blossoms in Japan, where he is living (you can link to his blog here: http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2011/04/spring-cherry-blossoms-give-hope-to-new-beginnings.html).  He writes about the symbolism of the short-lived blossoms, and finding the lesson in nature that ” life is precious and short and must not be wasted.”  Sakura also symbolize “starting a new chapter in life or of starting over with a renewed sense of hope and optimism.”

Mr. Reynolds has close ties with Japan, and I found one of his earlier posts about the resilience of the Japanese one of the best things I’ve read about the recent earthquake, tsunami, and its aftermath.  You can read his post by linking here: http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2011/03/fall-down-seven-times-get-up-eight-the-power-of-japanese-resilience.html.

 I think about his words as I enjoy our cherry blossom season in Seattle.

Cherry blossoms after rain

Buds, blossoms, and raindrops

Catching the last rays of the sun, cherry blossoms at dusk at the University of Washington