Email from a dear friend a few days ago, from which I excerpt here:

I have SUCH a surreal feeling of late. Closest comparison is before 9/11, but this is even more surreal. It feels like everything is slowing down to make a massive U-Turn, like nothing in the apparent reality is real, appreciate everything now, because you don’t know which parts of this reality you will never see or experience again.

The feeling is not sad, just utterly surreal. 

It’s the weirdest feeling . . . SO palpable—like none of this is real, none of this will exist soon, it’s all fading away into a very distant memory. Some kind of massive change is upon us.

Are you sensing or feeling this? Utterly surreal, like NOTHING is real right now. If a portal door appeared in front of me, I am so detached from everything, I could just walk through into a different reality.

Such an odd feeling. Are you feeling this, too, or is it just me?

To which I responded:

Yes, have been sensing exactly what you describe. Which puts me much more in a mood of continuous appreciation of the passing show than usual. Especially when certain flowers come and then go, a great sadness with each passing. And just the other day, huge welcome surprise to see a long row of gorgeous surprise lilies in yet another new place on this property. As if to let me know, just stay present for one miracle after another popping up unexpectedly, blooming brilliant, and then fading away.

To which I now add: Where on the property? On the edge, among the “weeds,” between the garden fence and the road. And remember, in permaculture: “the edges are where the action is.”

The key: Stay surprised.