It is described as a bird with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet (or purple, blue, and green according to some legends). Near the end of its life cycle it builds itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again. The phoenix has long been presented as a symbol of rebirth, immortality, and renewal (Wikipedia).
I recall as a youth when I was learning to ride a bicycle, at first I was subject to falling before I gained the skill of balance. A less determined or easily discouraged soul might give up trying. Yet I sense that some of us have become so comfortable in our life we have built. When tragedy strikes, we seem to have forgotten how to balance life with death, joy with sorrow, ease with turmoil, loss with gain. Is it possible perhaps we have become too complacent in a life of our own creation?
When trauma comes upon us we will need the coping skills necessary for a balanced life. These coping skills allow us to rise as the Phoenix from the ashes of our sorrow and rebuild our life anew. One essential skill is accepting that nothing lasts forever. Our life and those whom we loved are on loan from Jehovah and one day our life cycle and those of our beloved will end. Yes we will sorrow over their passing, yet they would expect us to move forward with our life.
Each life that comes into ours is a gift and a blessing. During their stay whether brief or long, it is our responsibility to make the most of the time, for one day it will end. Our lives are a temporary existence on this earth. Our opportunity now is to rise from our ashes of sorrow and be reborn. This is Sunrise.
