I used to tease my dad. His head was practically bald, but his shoulders and back were fluffy. I would tell him it was okay, that his hair had migrated south for the winter of his life. I would get a look that said shut up, but then he would laugh. He knew it was true. Hair, like many other parts of our bodies, can tell a story. We can discover a lot of things about a person’s life by their hair.
Some of us are born bald, some have full heads of hair, others have just a little bit. Some lose all their hair and it grows back a different color, some babies wear a patch of hair off the back or side of the head from sleep. We all have a starting place. We all have an ending place. Some people’s hair thins or they go bald, while others never lose any. Some people go gray, while others never do. Our hair goes through seasons. Typically because of the aging process, but sometimes it is because of illness or medications.
The point is, we all go through seasons. We start and end. We can compare our lives to the earth’s seasons. Spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Spring time. The earth wakes up. The rain comes with stronger sunlight. The earth’s surface is warmed up and flowers begin to sprout, sometimes through a bit of snow. Sap starts to thaw and leaves bud on the trees. Everything gets nourished by what went dormant. Fallen leaves and such from plants from the seasons prior. Then the flowers bloom, different varieties and colors as spring moves along. I equate this to birth. The start of a new life. New parents are made. Families are born or added to. New things are learned. Babies grow and learn to crawl and walk then run. Parents learn how to survive with no sleep.
Then comes summer. All the trees are full of leaves. More and different flowers with their colors and vibrancy come and go. The heat of the sun makes everything feel and smell alive. Activities from picnics to sports games are played and attended. Vacations are planned and taken. Cookout food (the very best food) is prepared and shared. This again can be compared to human life. In the summer of our lives, we’re young and full of energy. We play sports and can still get out of bed the next day. We eat the food and don’t gain weight. We can go on an active vacation and not be tired when we get home.
We have now reached autumn. The leaves on the trees start to change color. The smell in the air is different. This is the time for campfires and smores. Hiking and sightseeing to look at what nature can do. God’s artistry is amazing to me at this time of year. It is my personal favorite. The smell of the leaves on the ground. The crispness of the air. Fall Festival at Dollywood (yes I know) is an activity I greatly enjoy. It’s also time for my second favorite holiday. I love Thanksgiving. The time with family and all the baking I get to do is something I look forward to all year long. This is also where I am physically in life. My hair has started to gray. My bones ache a bit. I don’t exercise enough and I eat too much. If I sleep wrong, it is all over. Lord help me. I do have many joys and a lot to be grateful for. God blessed me with beautiful, intelligent children. I have five grandchildren. I am truly blessed.
Looking forward to winter is not something I pay much attention to. I’m not a lover of the colder months. However, I know they are needed. It gives time for the earth to rest. For plants to store up energy so that they can burst forth once again later on. We get to celebrate our Savior’s birth and spend time with family. I know my parents enjoyed sitting back and watching all that God had blessed them with. Mom got to the point that she didn’t have to do any of the preparation and cooking for the holidays anymore. My sisters and I took over so she could rest. Dad, like my pappaw, enjoyed building a big fire to make the house all cozy. Receiving gifts became less and less important compared to time spent with family. All the time spent indoors allows us to rest and to get ready for spring when we get to start all over again.
God is so good. He designed His creation in such a way, that if we take care of it, we will live, create, rest, and repeat as long as He sees fit to allow us to do so. I’m thankful for the seasons. I’m thankful that nothing lasts forever. This too shall pass is a seasonal statement. It is a true one. No hardship lasts forever. Will we see them? Of course. Are we alone in them? Not ever. He is so good.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
For everything there is a season, a time 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 kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
Seasons may be difficult. They may be easy. They may be prosperous or full of loss, but they all show and teach us something. Hallelujah!
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