This sacred line from the most quoted words of the Bible, the song written by Pete Seeger and sung by the Byrds and other recording artists, represents all the seasons and the important matters of our lives. Some are joyous times, others unfortunate. Some are productive while others seem fruitless. Some flower into a great happiness and others bring pain and deep sadness.
Wherever we are on our journey, there is an unquestionable characteristic of a particular phase of our life. There is a magic in it.
Some parts of life are like Spring: new beginnings, a fresh start and a creative opportunity. It is a time of new birth. Everything around us comes alive. It feels exciting to be getting married or becoming a parent for the very first time. It feels invigorating to be graduating and entering the workforce or starting a dream career.
Summer is a time of growth, play, and celebration. Days are warm and long. The living seems easier. Our relationships are thriving. The work seems effortless. We have energy and enthusiasm. Our health is great and our life’s garden is bountiful.
Fall brings a cool, refreshing change. It reminds us that everything has a beginning and an end. It comes with a twinge of nostalgia of days gone past. In nature, we experience the harvest and the preparation for winter. It is a chance to enjoy the fruits of our labor. But it also brings sadness of ending and closure. We are losing loved ones, we are heartbroken looking at our aging parents. We are thinking about retirement. We are noticing aches and pains in our bodies.
And then, as certain as ever, Winter arrives with its chill. Often, we are overcome with grief and fear. How long will this endure? What’s next? In those moments we can tap into our wisdom. It is gained through experience and many layers deep. Wisdom allows us to move from denial, through the struggle to surrender. It is the gold of human experience.
As we move from season to season, our needs, wants, interests, and priorities change. When we are young, we can’t wait to grow up. When we are old, we look back longingly to former years.
Each season comes with its gifts, opportunities, challenges, and lessons. We may need to set aside what we did in the past and gracefully funnel our energy into something else.
Whether we are in our life’s springtime, summer, autumn or winter, we are here to savor each moment, to live in gratitude for the rare opportunity and the privilege to be a human.
Whatever the season of life, our attitude makes all the difference. Sometimes a small shift in perception, in how we view our life and our circumstances, can be the only thing that is needed to bring peace and joy back to our lives.
At each season of our life we can ask ourselves:
Am I accepting change as something natural and unavoidable?
Am I enjoying each moment as it arises?
Am I surrendering to life’s laws and wisdom?
Am I grateful to be alive?
Perhaps with a slight change in thinking, we can all enjoy all of life’s seasons.
