A Season of Life

Every season of life has its quirks which define it. Usually, you’re unaware that you’re in a particular season or chapter of life until time has passed. It is then that you realize all of the little things that are compiled to make a complete picture of a happier time.

The Beginning of the Story

This particular season had its beginnings on January 12^th, 2009. That was the day my grandmother passed away. I had spent two weeks prior to this date playing hospice nurse to her, a time which I am so thankful for.  Though my grandmother and I were already very close, I’m not sure there’s anything quite as intimate as being with someone while they’re dying. 

Getting to know a stranger

In those days I was only a couple weeks from having graduated from college and was unemployed. It was at my grandmother’s funeral that my step-father, Mike, came up to me and offered me a job at his place of employment. Hillside Custom Machining, Welding, and Fabricating was the name of the shop, and I woke up every morning at 4:30 AM to polish stainless steel, which my stepfather would then turn into machinery for a pharmaceutical company. 

This is an important part of the story, because up until this time Mike and I didn’t even so much as grunt to acknowledge each other’s presence. Our history would exceed the length of this blog many times over if I were to tell it in full. So during this magical season of life it was as if Mike and I were getting to know each other for the first time. Even though we had known each other for more than fifteen years, we lived as strangers in the same home until our time together in that shop. 

Radio 104.5

Mike always has the best stereo equipment around. If Mike has to be in a place for an extended period of time, you better believe that you’re going to be hearing some quality sound from a quality sound system. Being that we were so close to Philadelphia, Mike typically listened to one of the two rock stations in the area, but the one day he said something like “you’ll probably like this station better”, and tuned the radio to 104.5. They played the most amazing music, and I hardly ever heard commercials. For those of you who still listen to radio stations, do you know the anticipation you feel when a song ends and you hope the next song doesn’t suck? This station never failed to deliver the goods; song, after song, after song. This was the soundtrack of the season, but there was one particular band that I was introduced to that really defined it for me.

Muse

I’ve blogged about Muse before, but their music was so clever, beautiful, and righteously obstinate that I felt like I could change the world after every song I heard by them. I downloaded “Uprising” and I must have listened to it a hundred times. What else can I say? They’re amazing.

Lost

Another love affair began when Mike introduced us to the show “Lost”. Lost sucked you into a world without answers. It was like being a part of early man, where existence and experience defied explanation and subsequently, definition. It took me to a time reminiscent of childhood where everything was new and was received with excitement and awe. It was a world of mystery. A world in which our paradigm no longer worked and a new paradigm had to be learned. I’m going to blog about “Lost” again soon so I don’t want to say any more than that. Coming home from the newness and excitement of working with my step-father to watch an episode of Lost (and then another episode, and then another) with my wife made for some great days!

My Wife:

I sometimes forget to mention my wife when I tell stories. The honest reason for this is that I just couldn’t imagine my life without her. She is so much a part of me that perhaps I take it for granted that she’s always there, journeying with me. She’s been in every season of my life for more than six years. Even the bad seasons don’t seem as bad when I think about the times we spent together. Thank you, Amanda, for making life abundant and joyful.

I know I’m in a Season:

We all have a tendency to look back and think about days gone by with fondness. We tend to think that those days were better than today. I’m writing this not because I think those days were better, but because I’m becoming more aware of the seasons I’m currently in rather than seasons of the past. Sitting in my living room, sipping a gin and tonic, listening to Amanda play something on the piano in a minor key, reflecting on my day, I’m getting much better at defining seasons while I’m in them.

God has been good to me, and I just want to make sure that I’m thankful for these days sooner rather than later.

What are the characteristics of the season you’re in? People can be just as sentimental about your memories and experiences if you’re willing to tell your story. Please, share the signs of your seasons, I'd love to hear them.