By Sandra Bost
May has come to an end. Is anybody glad? I know my teacher friends are probably still rejoicing from their comfy couches, likely still in their pajamas as the second week of summer break comes to an end. It always takes at least a week to recover from the crazy pace of May activities. Between “End of the Year” checklists, interrupted schedules for parties, and preparing the classroom for the summer waxing, it can leave you crying, “Mayday! Mayday!”
Even if you aren’t a teacher, your calendar was probably crammed, like mine, with recitals, graduations, and various other celebrations. So much to do in 31 little days. If you are not careful, it’s easy to get so caught up in the whirlwind that you forget to relish in the wonder of it all.
When pondering the fleeting beauty of the seasons particularly from winter to spring, a theme found in Emily Dickinson’s works has been paraphrased like this, “In May, witness nature’s resilience as it dares to blossom.” I love the connotation of that phrase, “…resilience as it dares to blossom.” The word resilience conjures up things like strength, recovery, and adaptability.
I met with a friend last week, who has been in a particularly difficult “winter” season of life. While we were sitting down to talk and pray over her circumstances, another friend walked up. She was there, alone, to commemorate the year anniversary of her own “winter” season of life. Admittedly, my own life is not what some may consider “full blown Spring,” but neither am I momentarily stifled under the heaviness that the metaphorical winter-life-season can bring. So, sitting there, I couldn’t stop the tears from leaking out of the corners of my eyes. My heart was so achy for these friends, representatives of the dozens more I could call by name who are withstanding difficulties unimaginable. The sadness for my friends, mixed with the gratitude in my heart for hints of Spring in my own life, caused me to weep.
Life is like that, isn’t it? Seasonal. Some seasons come that we wish would last forever, like the season of young love with all of the butterflies that fill our senses, or the excited purposefulness we sense when beginning a new job or school year, and the joy and hope of watching our children grow, to name a few. Then there are the harsh seasons that we wish away. Heart wrenching seasons like caring for a loved one with a terminal illness, a close relationship that is troubled or strained, or a hopeless season of grief.
But, aren’t the seasons of our lives necessary for growth and becoming who we were created to be? The seasonal periods of the Earth help create different environments that provide for unique and diverse plants and animals to thrive. Spring and summer supply optimal conditions for growth and reproduction, while fall and winter offer a time of rest. And these are only the agricultural benefits. Think about all of the human experiences affected by the seasons. I mean, who doesn’t thrive in sweater weather with a hot cup of coffee, or tasting that first strawberry picked as soon as that bright red peeps through the fat green leaves?
In the same way, the seasons of life that come and inevitably go, steady us with perspective and strengthen us with resilience. We are steadied in difficult seasons as we see the obstacles we face in life as opportunities for growth, a perspective gained from lessons learned when we get to the other side of trials and find that we have survived. That same perspective can increase our empathy for others, which is a tremendous gift to our current society where apathy looms at every turn.
Resilience is the stuff that strengthens us. It is the stuff legends are made of. It enhances our ability to think critically and solve problems, it is what gives us the audacity to bloom anyway, in spite of the hardships, the heartbreaks, the hurdles. Like Dickinson’s poems resonate, this resilience is what dares us to thrive.
Maybe you are in a harsh season of life. Take heart, though we can not know how long the season will last (just like our crazy seasons in the South), we can be encouraged that they won’t last forever. Ecclesiastes 3:1 assures us that there is a season for everything under the sun. Yes, there will be a weeping season, but a laughing season is on its way. So, hold on and dare to blossom.
