Cherry blossom

Japanese samurai used to contemplate death.
This was not some morbid fixation.
Admitting their own mortality forced the warriors to accept that life is a precious and fleeting gift.
They regarded the cherry blossom as a symbol of this insight.
Cherry blossoms bloom for a brief period and then fall at the very height of their beauty.
To the samurai this was a melancholy reminder of death amidst life.
It was an example of great beauty and sadness.