CHANGING SEASONS

After a long cold winter, spring has finally arrived, at least according to the calendar. As I watch the changing seasons of nature, I reflect on the comparison to our lives.

Spring is the  time of new beginnings and the promise of bright days ahead. The birth of a baby in all its wonder. That babies first wobbly steps and its first words are the beginning markers of the the milestones on this journey of life.  It’s a time of hope and promise and destiny to be fulfilled.

As we move into the summer of our lives, we grow into the person we will become. It’s a time of learning and exploring, of trying new things and testing different ideas. It’s leaving home for the first time, going to college, starting a new job or getting married. We are young, energetic and full of life. There is no mountain we can’t climb or conquer.

As we reach the fall of our lives, we settle into a routine. Our career, our families and paying the bills become our priorities.  We have learned life doesn’t always go as we think it should, we’ve tasted disappointments and pain but we continue to fight for the fulfillment of the dreams of our youth. It’s a time of great joys and great sorrows.

When we reach the winter of our lives, we are wiser in so many ways. We have slowed down, our hair has turned silver or it’s gone, we are slower to anger, quicker to smile and have learned to appreciate life’s many blessings. We are the glue that holds our families together. the voice of reason and the example for the next generation to follow.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible can be found in the verses of Ecclesiastes.

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to weep and a time to laugh.

A time to be silent and a time to speak.’

Through all the seasons of our life, change happens. There is a balance and harmony that flows through our days. So, whatever season you find yourself in today, live it to its fullest. This moment will never come again, enjoy all it offers and count your blessings.