cardboard castle

cardboard boxes accumulate, in various corners of our house, waiting patiently to be turned into something amazing. many of them never do, but are eventually marched out with the trash, in a fit of household organization (that well-known urge to 'bring chaos under control, starting right now with this pile here'). sometimes, though, the stars are positioned just so, and a cardboard box turns into a castle (a ship, a theatre, a house, a doll,... ).

except it is not only a castle, it is also still a cardboard box. and will eventually be marched out with the trash. looking at the children playing with these today, it suddenly dawned on me: life is like that too. both an amazing castle and an old cardboard box on its way to the trash can. simultaneously. so that everything is both of the utmost importance and completely trivial. to hold both these thoughts in mind at once is an impossible balancing act. one to be attempted every morning, noon, evening and night. until i too, am marched out with the trash.