Chapter 14

THE SEASONS OF LIFE

Nature has a beautiful rhythm. What would happen if the trees of the fall season fought against the fading summer season? It would be a waste of energy—a pointless struggle. If some freak-of-nature occurred, and the trees were able to prevent their leaves from changing colors, we’d miss out on the beauty of the fall season. It’s natural for the summer season to end. In perfect sequence, the fall season grabs the baton and begins its leg of the race.

                The same natural rhythms exist in our lives. Old things die so new things can grow. All too often, we fight these natural “seasonal changes.” We become accustomed to a particular weather pattern. We don’t want the summer season to end, so we lie to ourselves­—looking forward to a “few more good days.” Everything in our natural experience is telling us the truth: Things are changing; it’s time to let go of last season. The temperature is getting colder; the days are getting shorter; the leaves are turning colors and starting to hit ground. For some reason, we can’t let go of those poolside memories when everything was sunny and nice.

                Alas, it’s inevitable—the seasons are going to change. The natural seasonal changes aren’t going to wait for you. You do, however, have control, in regards to which life-elements you choose to hang on to. If something is dead—let it go. There’s no sense wasting your time and energy trying to bring a dead leaf back to life. Let the leaf die. Embrace the fall and winter seasons, knowing new life is just a couple seasons away.