A Well-Seasoned Life

As many of us in the Midwest embrace the crisp fall air, we look forward to the splendid array of colors that usually accompany the season. I remember how I used to press leaves with waxed paper to decorate bulletin boards or windows. They always looked like they were dancing and cheering us on.

I am often reluctant to let go of summer with its seasonal flowers and sunshine to brighten our days.  Even though I complain about the heat, the fields of sunflowers, rose gardens, and honeysuckle bushes remind me of my childhood and freedom from the rigors of studies.

Winter too has its beauty with snow-laden fir trees and ice-covered rivers and lakes.  The frost and howling winds are not so cruel if you have a fireplace and blankets to keep you warm.  The outdoors seem frozen in place like a black and white silhouette.

Spring is perhaps my favorite season when the cold, dead earth suddenly comes alive again.  First the delicate crocus peeps out, then the forsythia and tulips, then the redbuds and dogwoods. It seems like a magician uses his wand to tap each bulb or tree when it’s their turn to take the stage.

I’m glad I live in a part of the world that has all four seasons.  It seems as if God thought we might get bored if the weather always stayed the same.  With his super active imagination, God keeps thinking of new ways to delight us and make our world exciting, majestic, and glorious.

“Thank you God for most this amazing day.”  (e.e. cummings)