Seasons of Life

Over the last few weeks, we have been focusing on getting prepared to homeschool our son for Kindergarten. We have been homeschooling him for preschool all along, but it is time to make everything official. I also have a three year old little girl that needs to be involved. Through all of this, I am still working part-time at my "day job". It is a very busy season of life.

Stepping into this time of our lives has made me think about seasons of life. We all have them. You may not think about it much, but even the time that you were a child was a season. It is a carefree time, a time that your basic needs were taken care of by someone else. The teenage years are a season of physical, emotional, and mental growth. Then there is the season of being a young adult. It is a time that it seems you have the answers, only to realize in the next season that you were only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

The thirties and forties are a time of stepping into who you are. It is the time someone becomes more comfortable in their skin. Then in the fifties and sixties is the realization that more and more people are coming to you for advice. They are trusting the amount of life that has past to provide the wisdom to guide them. In the seventies, eighties and (for some) nineties and even over one hundred, many have become a pro at giving advice, but more importantly, it stings a little at how fast those years flew. They didn't seem to go as fast while they were being lived, but looking back, they all seem so short.

One thing that I've noticed this month is that you can plan for seasons in life, but just like seasons in our weather, things may not be as we expect. I had planned that I would be home more during this season of my life as we homeschool our children, but when my husband was laid off from his job earlier this year, that plan had to change. I had planned, years ago, that my mom would be involved with all of this, even if it would only be from texting and photos sent, but now I need to pull from all that I know of her and have peace in knowing that she would be so proud of her grandkids.

Just like in the weather, when seasons are not what we expect, we need to adjust and keep moving forward. This summer was one of the hottest that I can remember here in the Southeast United States. Temperatures were above 95 for most of July and part of August. We would have spent more time outside, but it just was not healthy to do that. We adjusted. For example, one day we had a "pool" party inside with an inflatable pool and lots of pillows.

When your plans seem to be knocked around by the unexpected in your season of life, adjust and keep moving forward. If you are the one with COPD, do what you can to keep the progression as slow as possible. Stick with your pulmonary therapy. Visit your doctor often, and follow their treatment plan. Wear your oxygen, if it is prescribed, and keep living.

If you are the caregiver, adjust and keep moving forward. The logistics of things may be difficult. You may have a thousand plates all up the air as you try to juggle too many things, but don't give up. It's worth it. Move forward in love, compassion and determination. You will never regret it.

Last, you may be getting close to a season that you dread. It is the somewhat unspoken time that you just don't want to think about. It's when you really know the end is near. I have been there with my mom. I can tell you that in that season there will be incredibly tough days, but it is a time that can create some of the most precious memories. I mentally planned for that season to be emotional and hard, but the unexpected part of that season for me was the love that my mom shared and the "heart pictures" that were made.

Remember, in all seasons you have the opportunity to love and be loved. How you live out each season and the memories you make, is up to you.