Seasons Change

Seasons Change

By Jay Jay Speaks

August 15, 2012

Wow can you believe it? The month of August is half way over already.  As the summer continues to fade away, thoughts of autumn begin to overtake my mind. As much as kids (and teachers) love the summer time, I have to confess that I am partial to the fall. To me, fall brings cooler temperatures, crisp autumn air and brilliant colors on the trees as the leaves turn beautiful shades of brown, orange, yellow and red. Fall clothing has always been the most comfortable to me. I like being able to bust out the long sleeve shirts, the light jacket or windbreaker as we used to call it back in the day. Fall also means it’s time for FOOTBALL, but I digress.

The changing of the season from summer to autumn always makes me think about the passage in the bible from  (KJV) Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Now without getting overly religious concerning this passage I can’t help but think out loud that this scripture contains within it WORDS OF WISDOM that could help so many of us grow into the people we were meant to be rather than the people we have settled on being. Let me repeat that, THIS SCRIPTURE CONTAINS WITHIN IT WORDS OF WISDOM THAT COULD HELP SO MANY OF US GROW INTO THE PEOPLE WE WERE MEANT TO BE RATHER THAN THE PEOPLE WE HAVE SETTLED ON BEING.

Let me get to the heart of this matter quickly. Life unfolds as it is going to unfold whether we like it or not. Things will happen to us in life whether we want them to or not. Even the biggest, baddest and best of us will be humbled by life if we live long enough. Both tragedy and triumph are to be expected. Life and death will be encountered. Joys and pains will be discovered.  The seasons of life will come and go and during their time they will do to us and with us exactly what they were created to do, whether we like it or not.

There will be a WINTER SEASON, during which time the bitter coldness of people and the harshness of life will threaten to overtake you. Some winter seasons will be long and barren.  You will look around for help and support only to find others are hold up, fighting their own cold season or others are tucked away warmly, enjoying the provisions they’ve saved up for just such an occasion.

The SPRING SEASON, will follow winter bringing with it renewal, rejuvenation and hope. Sometimes the spring season begins in a flash, seeming to come out of nowhere. In real life spring season may be brought on by a new job, new relationship or rekindling of something you thought was done and gone. Other times spring seems to take a long time to kick into gear but you know it is coming. You can see the opportunities slowly starting to develop. The waiting period is excruciating but you are encouraged because you can see the ice melting in your environment. Once spring has sprung you can barely remember the cruelty of winter. The hard times begin to humor you as you think back to where you just came from. You marvel at how you made it through and smile at what is to come. Spring is a time for planting and plowing. The seeds you sow in the spring will provide a harvest sooner and later.

Spring is always followed by the SUMMER SEASON. Summer season is tricky because it is also the “good time” period that always seems to go too fast. The summer time is when you get to show everyone the stronger you who made it through the cold winter. It’s the time when you may “strut yo stuff” a little to those who swore the winter’s ice tripped you up and the snow buried you for good. Yeah summer time is your time, but if you’re not careful that “summer, summer, summertime” (to borrow from Philly’s own Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince) can get too hot and burn you out!

Summer time is also when you can get too full of yourself and set the wheels in motion for others to ignore your pleas for help (friendship, companionship, intimacy, understanding, forgiveness and compassion) once winter falls upon you again. The summer season can also be the time when “hot butts” & “fast pants” wind up pregnant. You see summer may be the time when you are impregnated with something that you will give birth to during the coldness of winter.

Summer quickly fades into the FALL SEASON, which brings with it the warnings of the approach of winter. Fall is the most critical season to most of us whether we are aware of it or not. The reason being, fall is the buffer between fullness of summer and the barrenness of winter. A wise man knows that the nip in the autumn air means winter is on its way, so he begins to prepare. Preparation can look very different based on individual circumstances but in general it consists of: planning, saving, planting, collecting, storing and moving. Sometimes and Indian summer can fool folks into thinking that fall and winter are not coming but just as the sun will rise in the sky, the seasons will change whether you are prepared or not. Fall gives the weary warrior a respite from the scorching heat of summer but the comfort of fall doesn’t last very and the hard winds of winter begin to make themselves known.

Life unfolds in seasons and the seasons move in patterns. We cannot avoid these changes nor can we hide from them. The best we can do is learn to accept them, prepare for them, attempt to work appropriately in them with the understanding that “THIS SEASON TOO SHALL PASS,” and another is coming.

To those that don’t heed this wisdom they will find themselves ill-equipped when the season changes and unprepared to “weather” the elements. They will find life to be unbearably cruel and unpredictable, as they scamper and scurry seeking provision for others.  One of the ugliest sights to behold is someone living life “out of season.” As you continue along your journey of life remember, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

 Now go and walk with GRIT, GRACE and GREATNESS!

Don’t wait until Monday, do it today on HUMP DAY!