The Restless Season

The vibrancy of fresh green grass, the melodic sounds of spring peepers, and the colorful birds returning from their vacations are only a few of the joys I find in the South during this time of year. Spring, like fall, is a season of change. As we move through life’s changes, we are reminded that these transitions are not so “flip-of-the-switch.” Intensive redirection takes time, introspection, and healing. It’s best we grasp that sooner than later to avoid disappointment and excel beyond difficult periods.Opposites, the positive and negative charges, drive us toward change. Consistency, not complacency, provides recognizable patterns that we can alter to benefit our own life as well as the world around us. Seeing the differences and the similarities is key. We make mistakes; it’s our nature. We are flawed; it’s our heritage. We should see ourselves in others and accept that they (like us) are imperfect, too.

“We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” —Martin Luther King

Forgiving others for their yesterdays is truly the best path to better tomorrows. Real forgiveness begins with sincere forgetting. Like the grass that withers and browns in the fall, when the spring comes, all that dull and drab is forgotten, as new life bursts forth.

All too often, beautiful relationships are soiled by proportionally small mistakes. True forgiveness is as perennial as the grass. It’s best to patiently nurture our love for others as proof of their importance, and allow our relationships to strengthen beyond the restless season of change and adversity.

Once we begin moving beyond, we soon become poised to surpass hesitations that hinder and bind us to the past. The suggestion is not to forget the lessons that we have learned through our personal histories, but to focus on using that knowledge to forge and polish a more positive future. Along our journeys, we should keep our thoughts and eyes forward. Moving ahead without stumbling, tripping, or falling is accomplished more efficiently if we stop looking over our shoulders as much. This will lead to longer strides with better form, bigger smiles, and a more meaningful, beneficial life.