A Girl For All Seasons

I have been thinking a lot about seasons this month-- and even more heavily this week. Summer. Fall. Back-to-school season. Hurricane season. Baseball season. Football season. Tourist season. Wedding season. Holiday season. It seems there are seasons for just about everything. Seasons of sun and smiles. Seasons of loss and pain. Seasons of entertainment and work. Seasons of destruction and chaos. Seasons of love and joy.

For those of you who have seen Grease 2, there is a scene where the Pink Ladies perform in a talent show dressed according to the the month and season for which they represent. In the middle of the song and dance, Michelle Pfeiffer ("Stehpanie Zanoni"), dressed as a Christmas tree in Winter, loses focus and stares off into space while those around her keep performing. The song and dance continues but she is frozen in time, trapped by a memory. The symbolism always strikes me; Stephanie is frozen in the season of Winter-- a time that is consistently symbolic of barrenness and cold. A season that typically represents struggle and hopelessness. A season that resonates with her in that moment.


Often, I find myself caught up in whatever season I currently am in. I jump with both feet into soaking up the sun of summer. I sport my Duke blue all throughout March madness. I decorate (profusely) for holidays and do all of the cliche activities associated with them. I buy school supplies in August, despite the fact that I am no longer a student. I pick flowers in Spring.

This year, as Fall approaches (my favorite season, I might add), I am aware of something that I have not often thought of before. Fall, in all it's beauty and cool weather and holiday splendor, is a time of change and even death. Leaves are dying. Cold is setting in. Fall is the precursor to cold and snow and ice.

Despite that, I yearn for Fall. Perhaps it is because I know that Winter does not last forever. Perhaps it is because I know that Spring will bring with it new life and color and joyful splendor. Perhaps it is because I have learned that we are not trapped in one season forever.

Like Stephanie, sometimes we lose our focus. Sometimes we get stuck in a season. Sometimes we forget what comes next. Sometimes all we can see is Fall and Winter, and we forget that Spring brings with it new life. I am reminded today that I was created to be "A Girl for All Seasons," even when I have lost my focus momentarily.