Seasons of...

...no, not love. Though, as I write that title, the song comes into my head loud and proud, and I might have to play it while I write this entry. (only to go look for it and see that it is not in my iTunes. How lame is that? I need to find it and put it on there)

But, back to my original thought.

Seasons of...

Learning.
Giving.
Working.
Thinking.
Contemplating.

Today marks the first day of Lent. For whatever reason, it is 40 days long and leads into the day and season of Easter. So what is Lent?

40 days. To do what?
Learn. Give. Work. Think. Contemplate.
Learn about yourself. About Christ. About the world around you.
Give to the community that holds you.
Work on yourself. On your faith.
Think about your life.
Contemplate the journey to the cross.

Don't yet jump the gun and think about Easter. Take some time to sit here, right now, at the beginning of this season. Sit in the journey ahead. Don't jump to the finish. Don't leap over every meaningful thing before the sunrise. Don't forget that before the end, there was a story, a road, a mile of tests.

Sit here with the unknown.
Sit with the confusion.
Sit in the despair.

Sitting in this season and all that it means only heightens the awareness at the completion of it. The end truly becomes a new beginning when it is seen looking forward and looking back, but if you miss the journey there, you have nothing to look back on.

I hope you sit for the next 40 days.