Tibetan Buddhists illustrate this inescaoable truism in a pariticularly lovely way, by making incredibly intricate, brightly glowing mandalas from grains of sand. The sand is skilfully poured from metal funnels to make elaborate patterns and the forms of fantastical animals, demons and spiritual symbols.

The sand mandalas can take days or even weeks of solid work to complete, yet when the mandala is finished, the whole fabulous creation is swept into an urn. Half of the sand is distributed among the audience, to disperse its healing through the room; the other half is fed to the nearest river, to carry its healing throughout the world.

Celebrating transience is strangely comforting. Spend an afternoon drawing chalk pictures on your front path, then watch them be worn away by time or rain. Lie on the grass with a friend making outlandish creatures from the clouds, observing as they change from dragons into ducks. Make a sand castle.

Accept the inevitable truth that nothing lasts..and savour the peace that comes with it.