"Seasons"

Seasons remind us of the the consistent and inevitable word so many of us share an unfavorable connotation with: change.

The anticipation of patiently waiting for the white snow on the ground to uncover the palette of the earth in full bloom seems to take forever. Maybe I had been living in the sunshine state too long, but living in the north again, I am reminded of what it feels like to wait for change. 

There’s beauty in the contrast of each season, with each one reflecting a faithful promise to come. We know roughly when to start digging our summer clothes out of storage or when to finally plan that ski trip, yet each year we warily wait impatiently for the next season to come, as our discontent for the current season grows. 

We look outside to see if the barren tree in our front yard has started to signal for spring, when a few months later, we study that same tree to seek out any hints of orange hues that resemble the start of fall. 

I think as humans — despite our tendency to resist —we actually crave change. Change is consistent. Just as the seasons are scheduled to come and go each year, our lives are subject to consistent shifts and change. 

I’ve learned to embrace the imminent rhythm of transition. After a (very) long winter in the north, I’m eager to reintroduce myself to my very close friend, the sun. I’m also eager to see what God has for me in this next season of life. I have faith in His divine promise he continues to keep each year as the dead leaves from last season provide nutrients for the beauty in the green grass and flowers that bloom in the next. So it goes for our own lives, too. 

While change in our personal lives may not be as predictable or as on-time as the seasons, we do know that there is real purpose in change, just by looking at the evolving landscape around us.