The Four Seasons Of Life

November 2022

Dear Friends,

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a
quest, to each go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in the summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had
gone and returned, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and
twisted. The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden
with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful; it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son
disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man explained to his sons that they were all right because they had each seen only one season in the tree’s life. He told them
that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love
that come from that life can only be measured at the end when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss
the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, and the fulfillment of your fall.

Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don’t judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the
difficult patches, and better times are sure to come sometime or later.

I wrote some time ago that we haven’t seen the full effect of what sheltering in place has had on all of us. I am certainly no
exception. This season has been particularly challenging for me, and when I speak to others about it I’m discovering that so many
of us are suffering in silence. If that’s you, I just want to encourage you that this season, too, shall pass. Greener pastures are on
the horizon, and the hope and promise of a brighter tomorrow.

Breathe.
Look up.
Take a day off.
Rest.

Do something for YOU. You deserve it, and you’re worth it!
I believe in you,
Rica