There are four distinct seasons where I live; summer, autumn, winter and spring. That plays out differently depending upon where we live of course.

There are also seasons in our lives that are distinctly marked. These can be important milestones or events, unforeseen tragedy or adversity.

As autumn is in full bloom this beautiful fall day, I am reminded of the many seasons that have come and gone in my seventy years here on the planet we call Earth.

Interestingly, I have lived through four distinct seasons of life.

My first season lasted 20 years and laid the foundation. This time marked my formative years of schooling and self-discovery. Looking back, I am thankful for the experiences I had but also wish I had savored my time better. Each moment of discovery, each new learning was like a blip on the radar. During this season I identified some hopes and dreams. The significant take away was the formation of my character, the importance of family and the power of love.

My second season lasted 26 years. It challenged me to live knowing that my childhood hopes and dreams were maturing along with me. Being loved by my husband beyond my comprehension and giving birth to four incredibly beautiful human beings cemented the importance of family and the overwhelming power of love. Sacrifice and humility were among a few of the many lessons learned along the way. Having those around me reach out in love during times of need solidified the value of strong relationships.

The third season, lasting about 16 years, was marked with a unique realization of every hope and every dream as well as those I didn’t know I had. Experiencing lifelong hopes and dreams is simply amazing and perhaps not afforded to many. I am thankful to say the least. It brought both growth and reflection. It gave me a clearer perspective on life. It taught me what is truly important, one being unconditional love. The relationships we build with family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and those we don’t know well lay the foundation for living out OUR hopes and dreams.

The current season, so far 8 years for me, is the manifestation of what I call becoming a person. Seventy years to find out who I am? Yikes!

Becoming a person is discovering that in every relationship where I can show love, I become a better person. It has taken a lifetime to get here. I am not sure how long this season will last, I think it’s my last one, but it is by far the best. This season is markedly different because it is far less about me and far more about others.

The seasons of our lives all have important milestones, lessons to learn, hurdles to jump and challenges to face. What we come away with at the end is important.

“We should treat each other as if we we are better than we really are.” J. Laird

My faith tells me this and my life provides the opportunity to demonstrate it. I will embrace both.