phyllis young

Essay

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Division and Analysis-There is a season

With regards to classification and analysis of the story, “There is a season” my essay will be broken down into four parts. These four parts will encompass the four seasons that we have that is; winter, spring, autumn, and summer. The four parts will facilitate better understanding of the subject under discussion. Parker Palmer’s “There is a Season” talks of life being a series of seasons and not the ordinary passage that people always perceive it to be. In addition, having such regard about life is the best approach according to Parker Palmer since it enables one to be prepared on how to tackle everyday scenarios in life. Parker further holds that acknowledging the season metaphor about life is ideal since the same suggests that life is not a game of chance or a battlefield.

Autumn

According to Parker, “autumn is a season of beauty but is also a season of decline: the days grow shorter; the light is suffused, and summer's abundance decays toward winter’s death.” In this case, autumn is a season faced with a paradox of dying and seding. This metaphor is a complete replica about life situations in that we experience relationships that end up failing or not working out. However, the most important thing about all this is that there is always another chance for a new and blossoming relationship. This is to say that an end to something brings forth another that is always new and replenished (Reine 2005).

It follows that life is a paradox that we need to accept and live with. For instance, we need to accept the fact that we need to have darkness before waiting for the light instead of wishing for light only. According to Parker, "split off from each other, neither darkness nor light is fit for human habitation. But if we allow the paradox of light and darkness to be, the two will conspire to bring wholeness and health to every living thing." Therefore, there is a need to accept the bitter and sweeter aspect of life because the combination brings forth a happy coexistence.

Winter

According to Parker, winter season is quite demanding, and unfortunately a few people tend appreciate this. This is because during this season, there is many colds and this hardly supports life like for instance plants do not thrive well at this time. Parker notes that, "it is the season when death's victory can seem supreme: few creatures stir, plants do not visibly grow and nature feels like our enemy." However, this season is not all bad because there are a number of gifts linked to it. Beauty is an example of the gifts that come with winter. Also, there is the gift of being reminded that times of deep rest as well as dormancy are paramount to any living organism. In this case, instead of looking at the worst part of winter, there is need to consider some of the good things too and that is how life should be (Provensen 2011).

According to Parker, those things, situations, or events that appear bad have the most benefits. Therefore, this acts as a lesson that we should appreciate. Also, we should not be so quick to jump into conclusions when we think that some situations are worth criticizing. In addition, winter is a reflection of hidden life events that need be pondered over critically. The season is two-sided in that there is a good side as well as the bad things. Unfortunately most people tend to look at the negativities and negate the gifts that come with winter. This should not be the case hence in life we should not be one-sided but instead focus on all the outcomes for better living (Reine 2005).

Spring

This is a season that is regarded as ugly because of all that surrounds it. Spring is normally characterized by muck and mud and nothing good seems to be associated with the season. In fact, people normally wish for the cold weather when they approach spring. They tend to prefer the ice season to the all-muddy weather that is witnessed in spring. However, despite all these bad attributes associated with spring the latter has got its good side. This is because amidst the muddy woes a new rebirth condition is witnessed.

Once again, this season just like any other has got a moral lesson. For the case of spring, the same is a lesson to many that it is advisable to be contented with what one has and not wishing for something else thinking that that would be ideally better. Life is about contentment even with the little one has. On the same note, it should be noted that most of the problems being experienced currently arise due to dissatisfaction (Hay 2012).

According to Parker, many people find it had to cope with difficulties in life and this where we go wrong. Instead, people tend to formulate alternatives in a bid to address the said challenges. It should be noted that finding options in life is wrong because this is like hiding behind the curtains. The best approach in this case according Parker is to deal with challenges and life issues head on. Tackling each problem as it comes our way is the ideal way of living a satisfactory life. This is because life has no shortcuts and the better part of it appreciates such technicalities.

Summer

Summer time is associated with abundance and this is the season that many people prefer. This is because during this period trees bear fruits, forests also filled with undergrowth, and people normally have got plenty of food. It follows that there are times during the summer whereby hazards arise for example drought or floods. In this case, people end up frustrated because summer evokes high expectation of good happenings. From this case, a lesson is also learnt in that as much as we are optimistic, it is crucial to be aware of negativities. Therefore, something that is normally considered good and right should also be given the benefit of the doubt. Hoping for the best is ideal but it is appropriate for people to be prepared for the worst.

According to Parker, nature is not at all times full of abundance but all in all, it takes as through a sequence of abundance and scarcity that we should appreciate. Furthermore, from the happenings witnessed in the summer season, it follows that the idea of preparedness should be borne in each and everyone to avoid unnecessary crises. The fact that we have shortages in summer (a season considered plentiful) does not give full assurance of better things ahead. In this case, it is wise to plan even when it looks that everything is okay (Blexbolex 2008).

One most important thing to note regarding summer season is that life is sometimes ironical. This is to say that things will not always be as straight as everyone would wish them to be. A good example is the case of summer whereby as much as it is attributed with all the good things; there are times when people experience hunger and flooding. Understanding this life concept is ideal as it will keep everyone on toes regarding what to expect in life.

According to Parker, abundance does not just happen automatically. The best thing to do in this regard is to choose from what is in store and appreciate what is in disposal. In addition, people should be able to handle the little in store and manage the same. Furthermore, the best way of handling scarce resources is by trusting its source and supply and also passing the same around. Moreover, Parker reinstated that true abundance is when we give out to those people with scarcity and expecting the same from others in times of our need.

References

Blexbolex (2008). Seasons. Boston, MA: Routledge

Hay D. (2012). Seasons. Nairobi: Longhorn

Provensen A. (2011). A book of seasons. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

Reine SM. (2005). Seasons of the moon series, Books 1-4: six moon summer, all Hallows’ moon, long night moon, and gray moon rising. New Jersey: The prentice Hall