The Spring of Life

This year’s Autumn seems so very spectacular. Reds and golds. Rusts and mustards. Mix that in with the ever-green Pines and Live Oaks; WOW. What beauty, the earth goes through as she bows out from Summer and enters into Winter. Oh what lessons she shares with us, if we just observe and truly listen. How many of us transition in our seasons of life so spectacularly? How many of us truly embrace the life we are given and make a beautiful tree, standing out against the storms that blow? The beautiful tree outside my door, is turning colors. Loosing her leaves to the wind as he whispers through her branches.  The leaves are now dancing and blanketing her undercarraige. A crown, simply moved from her head to her feet. The beauty is still there, just different.

Reflecting on my own life, I ponder. Which season am I in? Well, I am in Summer.  Filled with days of tending my ‘garden’.  Tending, watering and caring for 4 little creatures that are so full of life and blooms. Days that are completley and utterly exhausting. Days that are filled with laughter and giggles. Days that you come inside dirty from head to toe and to tired to take a bath.  Days that when the evening comes, you breathe a sigh of relief and feel a sense of accomplishment.  Days that can end on the front porch, with a warm breeze blowing, the whipperwhill singing and a smile on your face, if you let it.

Categorizing your life into quadrants can surely make life seem short. It is! Thinking back, my childhood was a magnificent Spring. I was filled with love and care. Hugs and encouragement. Training and discipline. But mostly, the freedom to be wild.

Not wild in society’s social view, but wild at heart. I was able to run through fields and forest, bare feet on the ground. No cares in the world would enter my mind. Wild. To be able to go into the swamp, alone as a child, and play in the creek. Wild. To be able to venture out into the woodlands with my faitful ol’ pup and create my own kingdoms. Kingdoms built of fallen trees and earthworks. Wild. To be able to play from the time my eyes opened til the time they closed, without any input from the outside world telling me what I should and shouldnt do for fun. Wild. To be able to drag my school friends out into that wilderness and to share with them that love of wild things.

Now, we had television, phones and computers (later-talking late middle school era) but it wasnt what it is today. My cousins had (much to my jealousy) video games but that stuff comes with chains. Chains that we readily give ourselves into, just to play said games, but chains all the same.  Without those chains, I was free.

Free. To climb into the Grand Oak outside my front door. Free. To swing as high as that ol board and rope swing would take me. Free. To run in and out of house for homemade food, without the time to stay inside and eat it.  Free. To perform outside, all sorts of made up programs, to anyone willing to sit and watch.  Free. To sing at the top of my lungs at the top of my swingset. Free. To howl at the moon and listen for a coyote to answer.  Free.  Free, to be a child.

Yes. My Spring was about as fantastic as they come. As I look at my children, thats my hope for them. In many cases, a person’s Spring sets the tone for their entire life.  My biggest prayer is that these 4 little blessing I have, will look back one day into their Spring, and feel the same as I.  To be able to face the world as she stands against the winds.  To bend and groan, but not to break.  For her roots to hold fast to the ground that she has grown deep into, to keep her anchored to truth. For her to be able to walk into her Summer without looking back.  For when she comes into Summer, I will be going into Fall.  And, Oh. What an adventure that will be.