by Terri Kleinberg

Created on: May 06, 2009   Last Updated: May 12, 2009

Wordsmiths have compared the life of a woman or man to the seasons of the year for centuries. We speak of the seasons of our lives as if they were defined sections with borders that we step over to reach the next one. But truly we age as the seasons change. Slowly drifting into the next stage, hair turning from brown to silver one strand at a time, much as the leaves change to brilliant colors from green.

Springtime is marked, in our lives, by frantic energy, a thirst for knowledge and sensation, often accompanied with unparalleled joy of life. It's time when things are black and white, with few shades of gray. Growth is amazing, from a seedling of a child to a sentient adult. People talk about youth being 'green' and it doesn't refer to sustainable. Springtime is when everything in nature is that lovely delicate shade of green that changes to a darker hue as summer progresses. When talking about 'that green kid' we are referring to the lack of experience, which in many ways is the definition of youth. It is the period of life that seems to last the longest, largely because of impatience. As we strive for experience, reaching to catch every bit we can, disillusion is skulking in the shadows. It's waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting. The by-product of experience is disillusion. As we gain in experience we lose our expectation of everything turning out right. As springtime fades to summer this loss of innocence takes us forward.

In summer everything is fertile, growing, and a deeper shade of green. As people, we have generally given up our shiny icons. Not every little boy will become a policeman, a fireman, or a hero that saves the maiden; and all little girls won't be Angelina Jolie. We recognize that grocery store clerks, investment bankers, and teachers are often heroes in their own right. Interests change, we become responsible. People depend on us. Our families, our children, even the friends we have made give us the need to be productive. Just as nature spends the days in the sun working to provide for the leaner times of the year, we must provide for those who rightfully expect us to do so. In the lazy warm days of summer it's tempting to lay by the creek in the soft grass and watch the puffy clouds drift by in the sky. And it's truly important to allow yourself the time to enjoy this space, this time of life, for it will pass by all to soon.

One morning you awake to find the room a little chilly, your knees are stiffer

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