Seasons of Darkness

November's theme is Seasons of Darkness, while December's will be Seasons of Light.These seasons are truly connected and often follow each other or even co-exist. They are our greatest teachers. We truly wish to hear your stories of how you navigate both. We invite you to contact us to share your experiences, either through the written word or through conversation. We'd love to share your stories and thoughts either attributed or anonymous.

Years ago, my community in Arkansas experienced a terrible ice storm. Over several days everything was coated with a sparkling layer of ice over an inch thick. Power lines came down under the strain. Roofs sagged and streets were impassable. Tree limbs bowed and broke, sometimes tearing trees asunder and other times uprooting them entirely. Steady efforts were made to keep the town going, but the thickening ice soon became a burden too heavy to bear at the normal pace of things.

At the time, I, too, was struggling under a burden that threatened to shut me down. It changed my home from a place of peace to one of turmoil. Most afternoons found me on my knees in my closet, begging for a release from the burden and praying for strength to make my home a haven once again. I was far from being at my best by that point and I knew I was part of the problem. Division and resentment grew so that I dreaded being at home. One dark afternoon as I cried to God about my weakness under the burden and my worry that the strain would rip me apart, I was instructed to take a walk and see what there was to see.

Appropriately bundled, I emerged into the freezing, sparkling world to see the hand of God. My neighborhood was heavily forested and as I walked, I was surrounded with trees. Many had ragged protrusions where their branches had once been and all were bent badly under the burden of their crystalline crust. I beheld the terrible beauty and held it in my heart as the Spirit interpreted it for me. “What is expected of you now is not that you stand tall and untouched by the burden. It is well to bend rather than break; be gentle with yourself and be grateful for flexibility and deep, growing roots.” I returned from my walk peaceful. The trees had taught me a truth I needed.

Julia Bernards