The Four Seasons of Life

As with nature, our life is also composed of seasons. Learn how.

Photo by Vincentiu Solomon on Unsplash

Have you ever noticed the perfection that exists in nature? An indisputable proof of the harmony that governs the universe.

As in a cosmic poem, God rhymes human life with the rhythm of the infinite.

When we are born, it is spring that bursts with its perfumes and colors. The skin is lush, hair and eyes shine, the smile is easy. Everything translates hope and joy.

It's the delicate spring, like the children who delight our eyes with their grace. At this time, everything ends in smiles. No worries can disturb the soul.

Then comes youth corresponding to the height of Summer. A season of warmth and beauty, blessed by occasional rain. The Sun warms souls, and promises are renewed.

Young people believe that they can do anything. They are impetuous, vibrant. That they will make revolutions in the world, and will fix all mistakes. They bring the soul warmed by enthusiasm. 

Your strong impulses can also be fleeting... like summer storms.

But life moves quickly.

And one day – what a surprise – the strength of Summer is gone.

Then Fall arrives. A look in the mirror shows us wrinkles, our hair begins to turn gray. But that is also a sign that the mind achieved maturity, the achievement of a more complete vision of existence.

During this season, the word is plenitude.

Autumn refers to a time of reflection and profound beauty. Its inspiring landscapes – with golden leaves and skies of incredible colors – perfectly reflect this moment in our lives. In the Autumn of existence there is no longer childish naivety or the uncontained impetus of youth, but there is accumulated wisdom, experience and a lot of willingness to live each moment, enjoying every second.

But, one day, Winter comes.

The most unsettling of seasons. Many fear winter, as they fear old age. But how can they forget the mysterious beauty of snow-covered landscapes?

Time to slow down? Partly.

But Winter is also the time to share experiences. Who said old age is sad? It can be warm and happy, like a winter night in front of the fireplace, in the company of loved ones.

Old age can also be hot chocolate, kind smiles, peaceful reading, generosity with children and grandchildren. Just don't let the cold chill your soul.

If we learn to enjoy the beauty of each season, we will always be happy. From Spring we carry spontaneity and joy throughout our lives. From Summer, lightness and willpower. From Autumn, reflection. From Winter, the experience that is shared with loved ones.

Final Thoughts

The message of the seasons in our lives goes further.

If you think about old age with sadness, dismiss that idea immediately. Remember that after winter spring comes again.

As everything starts again, we too will start over. Our trajectory does not end at the end of winter. There are other lives, with new seasons. And again, we will all begin in the spring of age. After death, we will resurface on other planes of life. And we will be full, we will be beautiful. That's enough to love.

Love a lot.

Love people, flowers, animals, the worlds that revolve serenely. Love, finally, Divine Creation. Love so much that life becomes an eternal spring.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, available on CD Momento Espírita, v.13, ed. FEP.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

When death arrives

No one can escape death. So why we avoid so much thinking and preparing for it?

Photo by Veit Hammer on Unsplash

Death is something that no one escapes. Rich, intellectual, poor, ignorant, good or bad, we will all die one day.

In a paradoxical way however, it is what we generally least think of. And sometimes, we don't even want to think about it!

However, we should keep in mind that if we inevitably go towards a certain destination, the correct thing to do is to prepare. As we would be if we were about to go on a long journey to a different country.

Not knowing exactly what weather we were going to find, we would take clothes for mild temperatures and clothes for very warm or very cold days.

We would also plan what we'd do when we arrived there.

So, how can we not think about the great and essential journey that we will take when we die, transferring ourselves from this world to another?

A world that is vibrant, where we will reunion with our ancestors.

Perhaps we should consider how to improve our wedding dress, the same one that the Evangelist describes in the parable of the wedding feast. Dress that is woven, in our day to day, by our way of thinking, acting, producing good or evil.

Perhaps it would be interesting to consider strengthening our links with the good God so that when that moment comes, we are ready.

And that prayer needs not be something memorized. It could be as spontaneous as this:

Lord, when I have to leave, allow me to be prepared. May there be peace in my conscience for not having done wrong to others.

May I be ready, with my bag of good deeds in an appropriate suitcase, without remorse for what has not been done and not done.

Allow the good Spirits to receive me and assist me in transposing the fragile vessel of earthly life to the immense vessel of Spirituality.

Who knows, Lord, you may even allow old loves to welcome me, bringing me hugs, flowers and smiles. Loves that left before, leaving a gap in my heart. Loves from other lives, always remembered by my immortal Spirit.

Allow, Heavenly Father, those who remain on Earth be in peace and accept my departure with the dignity of those who are aware that this journey is fast.

May they be able to restructure their lives, without my presence. May they continue in their journey of progress and struggles.

May I, now a pacified soul, enter the Spirituality eager to continue learning, working, as soon as I get over the tiredness of the earthly journey and any reflexes of physical disorders that have taken me the last days.

May I return to the home I left there, resuming tasks suspended for a while.

May I be allowed to travel through places I wished to visit, while incarnated so I can know spectacular places created by Your greatness.

Anyway, Lord, stay with me at that time.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on February 13, 2020.

Final Thoughts

Death is the only thing that no one can escape from. And since it's inevitable, will do we think so little about it? If we inevitably go towards a certain destination, the correct thing to do is to prepare. Prepare now with good actions. Prepare by choosing good over bad.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

Poverty and Wealth

Why are successful people unhappy? And why are they leaving their social positions to live a modest, humble life?

Photo by Charl Folscher on Unsplash

By the middle of the 20th century, a film The man who knew too much by Alfred Hitchcock was a huge success. The film popularized a song performed by Doris Day, who recorded more than six hundred songs throughout her career. The chorus said:

What will be, will be.
Whatever it is, it will be.
The future is not ours to see.
That will be, will be.

The concern about the future difficulties we face in life has always troubled us. From an early age we hear from our parents - study if you don't want to have a bad job - as if happiness were totally tied to a good job, to the possession of money and material goods.

We observe today though a reality that has never been considered. Successful people who feel unhappy, leave social positions to live modestly, but in a gratifying way. Those who have always lived in large cities, move to smaller towns in search of a simpler life. Others hang their diplomas and abandon outstanding careers to dedicate their time to philanthropy.

How many of us wouldn't find peace close to nature, planting, harvesting and living a simpler life?

Cultivate inner peace

Cultivating inner peace, a pleasure in life, love for nature, peace in the family, and spreading our wealth to those in need can indeed provide us with what we deeply desire.

Poverty and wealth are invaluable invitations to personal growth. In both situations, we will be able to achieve the real objective of our journey on Earth.

In poverty, we have the sacred opportunity to learn to serve, to exercise patience and resignation.

In wealth, we have the opportunity to experience charity and self-sacrifice.

We will know that we are facing poverty properly when we adapt to the simplicity of life and accept the renunciations that we need to carry out. Likewise, in the face of wealth, it is important to be sensible in the use of goods and facilities to which we have access.

Final Thoughts

We all have been exposed to poverty and wealth one way or another.

Poverty, wealth, lack and fortune challenge us for growth and the sublimation effort. Both are opportunities that we are offered so that we learn to manage our condition of material poverty, enriching ourselves with spiritual blessings.

It's up to us use our wisdom, our time and our assets to help those around us. If we do so, we will realize that through these actions we will gain a deeper understanding of live. Cultivating light and peace, regardless of financial situation, will make us feel valuable and happy.

Knowing and respecting the Divine Laws will allow us to direct the steps towards the greater good, will make us truly poor of folly and authentic rich of solidarity and love.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on March 10, 2018.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem