What Season Are You In?

[MajestyJo]

What Season are You In?

The story is told of a man who had four sons. He
wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too
quickly. So he sent them each to look at a pear tree
that was far away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the
spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in
the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them
together to describe what they had seen.

The first son, who had seen the tree in winter, said
that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son, who saw the tree in the spring, said
that it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son, who saw the tree in summer, said it
was covered with blossoms that smelled so sweet and
looked so beautiful. It was the most graceful thing
he had ever seen.

The youngest son, who saw the tree in fall, disagreed
with all of them. He said it was drooping with ripe
fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were
all correct, but 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. He said that the essence
of who they are - and the pleasure, joy, and love
that come from 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 fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of
one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don't judge a life by one difficult season.

-- Author unknown