[Seasons: II]
When I lived in Hawaii, I was asked most often about two things: surfing and gardening.
Yes, we surfed a lot. No, it wasn’t easier to grow food their.
Sure, the weather was on our side, which simply meant that we didn’t have to contend with cold temperatures. Every month was a good time to plant something in the ground. But the weather was also on the side of pests. There is no winter “die-off”. Imagine an aphid that doesn’t contend with the chilly nights in October or the squash beetles that don’t worry about the first frost of November. Without a winter, everyday was suitable for planting… and pests grew Herculean strength.
Seasons remind us that death is a universal reality. By participating in the birth-death-rebirth cycle we are part of a template written into the DNA of all creation. All life comes to an end, and all death serves new life. (Except for beetles in Hawaii.)
It’s no wonder death and resurrection are such profoundly meaningful concepts. It’s the blueprint for all creation. And for our lives.
