The Seasons of Life

It's autumn again in Michigan and nature does her best to impress with brilliant colors that warm one's spirit with the chilly approach of winter.  Fall brings a poignant combination of feelings.  The cool temperatures are refreshing, even energizing; but there is also a sense of melancholy with the realization that the exuberance of spring is only a memory, the summer growing season is past, and the mild weather will soon be replaced by the arctic winter winds.  



The attached photos are a poor sampling and really do not capture the gorgeous bouquet that the multicolored fall landscape present in Michigan.  But at least they provide some reference for what greets mid-westerners during this season.

The changing seasons help me recognize that I am in the autumn of my life; and during this interval I have the sacred opportunity to observe the springtime of my grandson, my daughters' productive summer seasons, and the winter of my wife. 


Few things denote springtime enthusiasm more than watching a 4-year old who has just learned to ride a bike.  It's the next best thing to getting your driver's license - as the attached video of my grandson Felix demonstrates.

Bryn and Bree are busily engaged in the peak production time of their earthly sojourn.  Their lives are beyond full in terms of responsibilities and challenges related to family, work, demanding church callings, college classes, and running a home on the side.  Not that they aren't handling it all with aplomb, but it is obvious that they both are occupied in grueling races with little chance to catch their breaths.  I must confess on reflection that there was a great deal wanting in the parenting that Kristie and I provided them (and which they are not shy to point out); but somehow they appear confident and resilient in dealing with the complexities and vicissitudes of their lives.  They make life better for those around them, including Kristie and me.  They, like our grandson, bring a wonderful sense of joy and satisfaction to us; and a feeling that our marriage may have blessed more than just the two of us.  

There is no question in my mind that Alzheimer's descends as the winter time in one's life.  I watch as Kristie bravely navigates through the blizzards and whiteout conditions of this season.  What surprises me is how cheerful she can be through all this.  While she is only a small fraction of her former self, the part that remains - the very essence of her personality - her disarming smile, laughter and ability to joke with others, continues to bring joy and endear her to others.  I marvel at how well she has taken to assisted living, where even as a shadow of herself, she is happy and raises the spirits of those around her - as the video shows.