Seasons of the Heart

We are at our daughter's middle school writing class this morning. Her teacher lives out in the country on a beautiful piece of property. There are cats and dogs, butterflies and chickens, cows and our favorite...these gorgeous horses.

I love how they look this morning relaxing in cool shade of an autumn colored maple tree. So peaceful and gentle...

The warm glow of the morning sun on cypress trees in the background and the hints of coolness in the air announce that fall is settling in here in Florida.

Just as the seasons change here on Earth, I feel that we have seasons of change in our hearts. Hearts are like our internal barometers, sensing the rising and falling emotions that come with life's transitions. Seasons of the heart can include times of strength, contentment, fragility, joy, desperation, confusion, and countless other expressions. What happens around us or to us directly affects the deepest reaches of our inner being - our hearts.

What season are you in now, my friends? Is this springtime for you, full of the promise of newness or renewal. Is it summer? A time of growth and digging your roots down deep. Maybe it is fall and you are preparing for a harvest of this season of your life. Or could it be winter, a time of rest, reflection, even sadness?

I think that we can and will fluctuate between seasons of the heart our whole lives. Life is complicated and beautiful. As it says in Ecclesiastes, there is a time (or season) for everything under the sun.

I would really enjoy hearing your thoughts, my friends.

Hugs,

Melissa