I have had too learn quickly how to encourage my now grown children as they attempt to navigate this new strange world. One said to her mother the other day, "This sucks, life is way too hard!" Another of my three, actually accused me of giving them "TOO good of a life" when they were little kids. Seriously!? I suppose they do have a point, my wife and I did everything we could to assure a happy peaceful life for our kids. Even if it meant when life wasn't very good for us parents. The last recession of 2009 took everything but our family from us. I share with you a famous old tale I related to them. All in an attempt to give my young adults some perspective during this strange, dark time in 2020. A time in world history we will not soon forget.
There was once a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. He sent them on a quest, one by one, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in the summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they all had gone and returned, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, twisted and bare.
The second son said "no" and that the tree was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed, as he said it was laden with blossoms and leaves and smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last and youngest son disagreed with them all and he said that the tree was ripe and dripping with hundreds of fruit, a tree full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explain to his sons that they were all correct, because they had each seen but one season in that trees' life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, or a specific time in our lives by only one season. As that is the essence of who we are, as the pleasure, joy, and love that comes from that life can only be measured at the end when all seasons are complete.
If we give up when it's winter, we will miss the promise of spring, and the beauty of our summer, and the fulfillment and satisfaction of our fall.
Don't judge a life by one difficult season, nor let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
We all have a rough season ahead of us. Some worse than others. No matter how bad, how sad, or how mad, this soon to be VERY uncomfortable season will pass someday. Everyone will be responding in a different way.
Remember that they may be in a different place and circumstance than ourselves when things get really difficult.
Jewelry throughout history has been utilized as a small symbol to remind us of either a time in our life OR a person in our life that made a positive impact. We all have a chance to make a positive impact, to someone, close or far, during this rare moment in time.
Go make me proud!
The unique antique broach Pear above holds both white and yellow natural diamonds and serves as a powerful symbol of future hope.