Lessons From the Seasons

I found this story a few years ago and I liked the gentle reminder that people nor life should be judged too quickly! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Lessons From the Seasons of Life

An Indian Chief had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, each in his own turn, to go to observe a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first and oldest son went in the Winter, the second son went in the Spring, the third son went in Summer, and the youngest son went in the Fall.

After all four sons had completed the journey to observe the distant pear tree the Indian chief called them together to describe what they had seen and learned.

The first and oldest son, who made the winter journey, said the tree was a bitter disappointment - ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son, who journeyed to see the pear tree in Spring was astounded. He said the tree was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son, who traveled in the Summer, glowingly described the pear tree as laden with blossoms that smelled incredibly sweet and looked so beautiful. It was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The youngest son, who saw the pear tree in the Fall, disagreed with all of them. He said the tree was the picture of fulfillment. The branches were drooping with fruit, ripe with life.

The four sons argued over who was correct in his observation of the pear tree. The chief then explained to his sons that they were all right because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

The father told his sons that a tree, a person, or a life cannot be judged by only one season. The very essence of who a person is and the pleasure, joy, love, and success that come from that life can only be measured at the end of all the seasons.

The Indian chief’s lesson to his sons is this:
If you give up when it's Winter, you will miss the promise of Spring, the beauty of Summer, and the fulfillment of Fall.

Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the remaining seasons of life.

Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches as better times are sure to come.

Happiness makes you content, trials make you strong, sorrows make you human, failures make you humble, success makes you hopeful.

But it is God who makes all the seasons together worthwhile.