September 22, 2019

To Dance In My Seasons by Alan Anderson




For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:… a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…-Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4

I am struck by a question our writing prompt asks this month. “How would you describe your season at this time?” I’m sixty-five years old as I write this post. When I consider life is made of several seasons, I estimate I’m in mid-Autumn. 


My spring season has long past but I have memories from those early days. Ah, the memories so varied and real. I remember as a little boy sliding down the stairs of our house to rush into the kitchen for breakfast. I remember at nine years old seeing my grandpa collapse and soon die in our home.


When I became ten years old I remember the ocean liner sailing us to Canada from Scotland. I remember the first time I tasted a peanut butter and jam sandwich for the first scrumptious time. I remember my parents surprised me with a dog for my birthday. I loved her until her final day. I remember graduating from high school and being glad these years were over.
 


My summer came on with no fanfare. I was now confronted with the reality of adult life staring me in the face. I became a Christian at twenty-one and enrolled in Bible College the next year. In 1978, I married my darling and two years later; I became a dad. I devoted a number of years to bi-vocational pastoral ministry. When depression came upon me I wandered for two years in “The Tunnel” unsure of which way to go. A few years later, I served as a chaplain in healthcare and loved those I called, “my teachers.”


Now in my mid-autumn season, I expect new adventures and experiences. Looking back, however, there have been life-changing challenges since autumn came. I said farewell to both my parents as their winters ended. I cried when five of my grandchildren went to heaven without ever enjoying the kiss of spring. Yes, times of tears have not escaped me. As my autumn season drifts by, I am all too familiar with a time to mourn.


I also glory in my autumn season for times of dancing. With my transition into autumn, I waltzed into the arms of the InScribe Christian Writers Fellowship. InScribe helped save my words. My words now have a place for nurtured and to dance. Through our InScribe family, I became a blogger. This gave me the confidence to begin my blog, Scarred Joy. Autumn is where I have sent more of my words out into the world.


When I think of winter, I hope it is still a long way off. In winter I may encounter creaky and stiff joints longing to write or do other fun things without challenges of the body. For now, in my autumn, I am content with life, at least for the most part.

 


When my season turns into winter, I hope I accept it well. I hope I embrace my old age without grumbling. I hope I still take pleasure in seeing young women being courted by young men. I hope I still embrace happiness at seeing children run and jump and giggle. I pray my darling will still be with me as we look back at the decades we enjoyed together. I don’t want us to be parted and yet I know heaven is across the horizon. For now, I continue to dance in life with my beloved and our season is sweet.




https://scarredjoy.ca/

12 comments:

  1. The passage of time does seem to make the memories from previous seasons sweeter. Much of what you said resonated with me as I am also in an autumn season. Meeting you and Terry this past weekend brings deeper meaning to your posts, too. I feel more closely connected now that we've met in person. God bless!

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    1. Hi Tracy! I'm happy we finally met also. I appreciate you graciousness and skill in leading our InScribe family. Yes, to meet in person is so meaningful and indeed makes our connection stronger. God's blessins on you and your family, Tracy. I pray we meet again. :)

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  2. Sheila Webster8:10 am GMT-7

    This is such an amazing piece Alan - I was so sorry I did not make it to conference to meet you in person. I already shared parts of this with friends. May you continue to dance - i loved the lines about the five grandchildren - and waltzing into the arms of Inscribe- who helped save your words - i hope you write poetry as well

    be blessed!

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    1. Hi Sheila! Thank you for being an encourager for me. I've never considered myself to be a poet. Now you have me thinking about this. :) Thank you also for sharing some of the post with friends.This is such an honour. I look forward to keeping in touch, my friend.

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  3. Alan, I too have loved to dance, and I think to choose the dance steps in all seasons is to choose joy and hope. As we rejoice with and for others in the spring and summer season, instead of expressing cynicism is a spirited gift. And I believe winter does hold some gifts as well, and yes, Heaven is on the horizon. Blessings to you. Thanks for this post.

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    1. Hello, Jocelyn! Thank you for dancing along with me. :)

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  4. Well said, Alan. I love the way you express your appreciation for InScribe saving your words, for your darling being beside you all these years, for your ability to come out of the tunnel of depression, and appreciation and anticipation for new adventures and experiences. May you continue to feel God’s presence with you as your waltz, stride, and clamber through this life and move toward the post season.

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    1. Hi Sharon! I always look forward to your comments and how encouraging they are to me. You seem to know my rhythm and I thank you for this gift.

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  5. What a lovely post, Alan. Thank you for sharing your reflections from the various seasons of your life. All the best to you and your darling.

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    1. Hi Susan! Yes, my darling Terry and I are still "dancing" together and enjoying all the steps. :) I hope and pray you are well, my friend.

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  6. Alan, thanks for sharing! Your seasons have been rich, and full of growth and healing no doubt, and now that you are saving your words, you can bless others as you capture what you’ve experienced as well. I’m so grateful to have met you this weekend, as I also waltzed into the arms of InScribe!

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  7. Hi Caran! I appreciate your encouraging comments, my dear friend. I'm happy we have "waltzed" together and look forward to more dances. :) Yes, I'm grateful we met each other at our Conference. I'm also happy we are going to keep in touch. :)

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