Wisdom of living by the seasons

The folk in my family, particularly from my maternal side, were farmers. Watching them, I learned some of my most profound life lessons as well as a deep respect for the land and it’s bounty. As a child, I could figure out what the season was based on the activities that were taking place.

The April holidays, and the anticipated rain meant planting. December usually coincided with harvest and celebration. In between, there was weeding and tiling the land. 

In the northern hemisphere, the seasons are more defined into winter, spring, summer and fall. Fortunately, for us, we don’t have such extremes of weather but nonetheless, like our forefathers, we need to understand our season and use it for our benefit and growth.

The first season we encounter is the season of preparation. Typically, this is when the farmers get their land ready. It is a labour-intense period that involves earth breaking, usually by hand, or with the help of oxen or tractors.

This is the getting ready stage of your life. It is usually represented by years of study to enable one build a career or the period when children are young and require a lot more parental attention and involvement. It could also be the groundwork or research stage before one starts their business. A lot of hard work is required in this season, and  there is very little to show for it. It is easy to get discouraged and give up as your dream is a distant reality when in this stage.

But as farmers know, you must get up everyday, go out into the scorching sun and till the land, fatigue, doubt or difficulty notwithstanding. You bypass this phase at your own peril, particularly by buying into get rich quick schemes. Lasting success and longevity depends on getting the ground ready and soft. As seasons come and go, you will find yourself regularly in the planting phase of life.

Learn to recognise it, and when you do, figure out what labour is needed for success and then go out and do the work. I wish there was an easier way. There isn’t. You have to get in the trenches and do your time.

The second season is that of sowing or the planting season as we prefer to call it. This is the season of investing. If you want financial success, you’ve got to sow the seeds. The same applies to healthy relationships and bodies. During the planting season, you have to choose whether you want to plant mangos, maize or flowers.

You can not eat burgers, take fizzy drinks everyday, be sedentary and expect glowing health. You can not be lazy on the job and expect to get promoted. And neither can you act with cruelty to your partner and expect them to respond in love. You will get what you put in. Surprisingly, most people, myself included, fall into the trap of sowing carelessly and then praying for a miracle.

It’s akin to saying, “Oh God, I know I put in mango seeds but could you please turn them into a rice harvest?” In the planting season, choose carefully and intentionally what you want. Do not let others make choices for you and do not choose by default either.

Make a conscious decision to go for something, someone or someplace. If this is the phase you find yourself in, ask, “What am I planting? Will I be happy with the results five or 10 years from now?”

The third season is that of waiting with some occasional weeding and pruning. This represents the winters in our life. These are moments when we encounter tragedy, challenge or pain. It could be the loss of a loved one, a job or our health. It could be complications like being transferred to another town or getting a boss who makes our life a living hell. It could be children acting out or a relationship on the rocks.

In this season, a little hibernation and soul searching is helpful. We need to determine what we need to get rid of or change for us to get into the next stage of growth. If we don’t, we end up stagnating, or worse dying. Your winters will require that you give up something, that you change and that you take care of yourself. 

The final season is harvest, and if the harvest was plentiful and good, our forefathers marked this time with song and dance. This season is like summer. The sun is out, everything is beautiful and working. This is a great time to celebrate the goodness life sends our way, to eat and make merry. This is also the time to store and create reserves for periods of scarcity. It is also the time to get your seed ready.

Just got a raise? Make sure to celebrate but also make sure to save for a rainy day. The wisdom of harvest is that we need to rejoice, rest and replenish our reserves. It is a mistake to exhaust all your harvest as there will surely be a winter or drought and who can tell if it will be mild or severe? The best you can do is plan for it.