Seasons

Funny thing about Las Vegas is there aren't real seasons here. Well, if there is, there are two -- Hot and Not As Hot. So we don't have the 4 seasons here in nature to remind us of the seasons of our lives (I think Heavenly Father was wise in the design of seasons in the first place). The timing of discussions in Sunday School today were interesting because I just finally figured out about the "seasons of our lives" and discussion today about Alma in the Book of Mormon ("For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors") tied right into this newfound knowledge. We often talk about how this life is to learn and grow and that is true, but I just recently figured out about the seasons in our lives and how there are periods of our life that certain things need to be done and lessons learned during that time and that time only. If we procrastinate, it may be too late.

One such example we've had to come to terms with is after my miscarriage in 2003, I was unable to try to get pregnant again for one year (because of the type of miscarriage it was). That was devastating news at my age, but the pregnancy (it had become cancerous) also scared me so much. We halfheartedly tried again after the waiting period was up, but we weren't on the same page and that was that. The decision was not one made in the correct manner, but sometimes fear and other human emotions overrule God's will. Now if we put our hearts back into it, it's probably too late. That season of our life (well, OK, "MY" life) is probably gone.

There were other seasons before this -- a season to be young, a season to come of age into adulthood. There are preparatory seasons now that will have great bearing on seasons to come for example the need to get and stay out of debt will affect our "sunset" years is one very tangible and easy to grasp one. Then there are the preparations we make now for the life to come that can seem nebulous to our limited understandings.

It's funny how it's only in hindsight that one gains a perspective oftentimes. So I hope to be able to teach some of this to my kids, though I know they will need to get to their own season of realization like I did, too. And, I am grateful for knowledge of a gospel that understands that sometimes our understanding comes in hindsight and we need the atonement and a lot of time to learn so that we can prepare to return to heaven one day.