Actually, right then, his fingers had been sort of sticky, but he was afraid to lose this wonder- ful time, so he had licked them and most of the stickiness had come off nicely. Mother didn’t say anything, just held his hand. Away they went, happily. The last time they had walked along this path, it had been autumn. He remembered how the leaves were getting dry and crunchy sounding. A cold wind had sent bright colored leaves tumbling onto their heads and shoulders. But now, it had all changed, just the way things are always changing. Every tiny bush, every tree was showing signs of fresh green buds. They stopped to look at the flowering cherry and wondered how it could be so beau tiful, just growing naturally. There was a sweetness in the air from the large clusters of pink clover blossoms spreading out this way and that, at random.

Shinran said, “Mother, may we come here every day, all year, to see these pretty flowers?” A big smile lighted his face as he thought of them coming, day after day, to see the blossoms. Oh, what a happy time, that would never, never end.

Mother, whose name was Kikkonyo, sighed, “Son, nothing stays the same forever. Or even for one day. Things are always moving and changing. See how our lives have changed be- cause you have a fine baby brother. We can’t keep flowers or trees or anything, forever. Just as candy quickly melts in our mouths, so does everything shift, or move, appear or dis-

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