Seasons of life

By John Subritzky

It’s fair to say that there has been a lot of dissatisfaction with the way 2020 is turning out. The war on COVID-19 has left many casualties. The government has done its best to cushion the financial blows as well as fighting the virus, but everyone has been affected to some degree. We have all lost almost a year of our ‘normal’ life. Families separated across borders have had an especially difficult time, and as one ages it becomes more apparent that there is a limited supply of years available.

Personally, what has impacted me is seeing event calendars wiped clean – twice. This has affected the club I work with, the organisations that I volunteer with and most significantly, with the Beacon. As a community paper a lot of our content relates to local events, schools and organisations. How do you fill a paper when those stories are not coming in? You must go out and find stories and write them up, so I have become a lot more involved in writing than before.

Recently my friend Gary Colville wrote about the seasons of life compared to the seasons in nature.

Autumn can be a time of letting things go – even things that have served us well. He says “Maybe you have had to let go of some things like a relationship, job aspirations, a profession, money goals, or you may have realised that you need to shift in the way you think, relate or behave around people.” Dark clouds and winds of adversity can cause insecurity.

Winter can be uncomfortable. 2020 feels like a long winter to endure for many of us. With trials come opportunities to gain strength to overcome the next challenges. Conversely, we can prolong our pain if we are unwilling to change, to let go, to forgive.

Spring starts slowly and can still feel like winter. Some people live in a prolonged winter of life if they are unwilling to let go of the old instead of preparing for new growth. When we feel fresh and alive, we can look forward to summer with hope.

For summer, Gary says “It is a place of warmth, laughter, freedom, adventure, empowerment and fruitfulness. Oh, what glorious, powerful satisfaction is waiting for those who are willing to be reclaimed, reshaped and renewed during autumns and winters. Our summers will be long, pleasant, fruitful and satisfying.”
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Life is too short to be living in an endless personal winter. With determination and the help of those we know and love, we can grow into a summer of freedom. I trust that you have the hope of a satisfying summer in your life.