The Winter Season

As I look outside, I see the enormous tree in my backyard withered and fading. Not only have most of the leaves taken the great dive toward the frosty ground by this late October morning, but the branches are gnarly and twisted, bent and broken, overcrowding each other, like a bunch of teenagers at a Jonas Brother’s concert searching for space to breath from among the sweaty throng. Since I am untrained in examining trees and their health I would easily guess that this old tree is about to die, that perhaps even this winter, if it is nasty enough  could push it over the edge. But I would more than likely be wrong.

That tree has probably stood in that yard for longer than my soon to be 93 year-old grandmother has scolded crows in her own backyard.

As I read from Hebrews today, I found that “it was fitting that God…should make the author of their (mankind) salvation perfect through suffering” [2.10].

I cannot imagine that if a tree had emotions relating to fun or not fun that it would find the winter very fun. It has been persevering for a long time through a lot of cold winters.  But every spring its branches bud the new life of rejuvenation.

Out of pain comes good. So why do I fight the winter seasons of my life? What does the bear do? It accepts the fact that there is a winter season and responds rightly by hibernating.  How am I supposed to respond to the winter seasons of my life? For some reason, I cannot believe that I am just supposed to lower my head and keep on trudging – though that may seem admirable, I think another word for it is stupid.

I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a reason we face winter seasons and seasons of spring when we are excited and rejuvenated, ready for whatever life may bring.

I could be wrong – what do you think – how should we as humans respond to the winter season?