When my two oldest kids moved out and made their way to warmer climates, people asked if my husband, Mark, and I would eventually follow. I told them that while I would love to be closer to the kids and my new granddaughter, I didn’t foresee a move in our future. First of all, we still have two kids at home who are firmly established in their lives here. But a big reason why I don’t see myself moving away from Cincinnati is the fact that I need the seasons.
I need to see the blazing colors of fall and the reawakening of the earth that takes place every spring. Even summer has its place—despite its oppressive humidity here. I marvel at the way a harsh summer thunderstorm can be immediately followed by a beautiful rainbow. And though I’m not a fan of the cold, there is something I love about winter, when a gray day can be overcome by a blanket of white. For me, winter feels like a forced pause from life, a time to slow down and regroup. Yes, I think each season definitely has its place.
Life Changes
But nature isn’t the only thing that goes through seasons. The same thing can be said for life. Change will happen, whether we want it to or not. As the verse from Ecclesiastes 3 in the Bible says: “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.”
We have all experienced many seasons in our lives, both literally and figuratively. There have been highs and lows, laughter and tears, struggles and peace. We can all probably identify the different ones. They tend to have defining periods we can instantly recall. And we know that there is more to come.
The other day, I was reminded of one of those seasons of life when I was scrolling on Facebook and saw a memory that had popped up on my feed. There on the screen were pictures of our family from one of the many adventures we took when our kids were little. Immediately, I was overwhelmed with melancholy for those days gone by. That season of my life is over, but I am also aware that there are seasons yet to come.
Sometimes those eras are difficult, such as weathering my multiple sclerosis diagnosis and the challenges it has brought. There was the season when we watched as my parents aged and eventually passed away. But during those challenging times, in my heart, I knew that the death of winter would be followed by the new life of spring.
Embrace Change
Mark and I are now finding ourselves exactly in that place. We are heading into the season of our lives when our kids are beginning to branch out on their own, and we are reconnecting with each other. We are discovering that we have changed both as a couple and individually.
I know that the seasons ahead hold many exciting things. I am also realistic, though, and know that there will also be challenges along the way. That’s just the way that seasons go, and I’m here for all of them.
