"Nature is forever arriving and forever departing, forever approaching, forever vanishing; but in her vanishings there seems to be ever the waving of a hand, in all her partings a promise of meetings farther along the road"

Le Gallienne’s poetic observation reflects the ceaseless movement and ephemeral beauty of the natural world. Nature does not remain fixed or static; she is always flowing, evolving, and slipping from our immediate grasp. Every moment in nature is both a coming and a going, embodying impermanence and renewal. The bird’s flight, the bloom of a flower, the changing seasons, each is a transient event, arriving with quiet splendor and departing just as subtly.

Yet, the beauty of these vanishings is not rooted in loss or absence but rather in the gentle suggestion of return. The imagery of a hand waving conveys a sense of affectionate farewell, suggesting that each departure in nature is not final, but tinged with intimacy and reassurance. There is comfort in the way nature departs, not abruptly or coldly, but with a gesture that promises connection and reunion. In every end lies the seed of a future meeting; every falling leaf or setting sun hints at new beginnings waiting somewhere along our journey.

This sentiment evokes a sense of hope and subtle optimism, teaching us to see the cyclical rhythms present in natural phenomena and, by extension, in our own lives. Absence need not be permanent exclusion, the world is full of partings that hold quiet pledges of return and continuity. Even as we mourn the passing of a moment, sight, or season, nature’s gentle farewells invite us to trust in the eventual arrival of new wonders.

There is wisdom in watching the world’s comings and goings; by recognizing the inevitability of change, we begin to appreciate presence more fully. Knowing that each disappearance may lead to a new encounter helps shape an attitude of openness and gratitude. Nature teaches us to expect neither eternal sameness nor permanent loss, but a graceful dance of arrivals and departures, woven through with the promise of further beauty along the way.