During my work day I am trying to incorporate “White Space.”  If you’re not familiar with this concept, I’d encourage you to head this website.  Juliet Funt gave a spectacular talk at the Global Leadership Summit.  Her premise was that busyness was destroying creativity and productivity…and thus we need more “pause” time, or White Space.

During a 5 minute “White Space” break in my day, I was looking at the trees right outside my window.  This time of year in the Midwest is when leaves begin changing color and falling to the ground.  It’s expected, natural, and quite beautiful.  It’s also effortless.

Come with me as I personify some inanimate objects for a minute.

The tree doesn’t have to sit the leaf down and have a chat.  “Um..hey.  Yea, it’s been a great summer…really.  But it’s that time of year again…well, umm…where you’re gonna have to fall.”  To which the leaf would respond, “What?!  No way, man.  I’m stickin’ around this time. I fell last year.”

That imaginary conversation would never happen.  Why?  Because I imagine the leaf understands seasons.  The leaves know exactly what season they’re in.  It’s the season where they change into beautiful colors, leap off the tree, and hit the ground softly like a whisper that, if you listen closely, sounds a lot like, “it’s almost winter.”

OK, personification over.  But allow me to make some personal applications.

Seasons in nature have always reminded me of seasons in our lives.  It’s one of the reasons I love living in the Midwest — I get 4 drastic reminders every year!  Leaves falling is synonymous with one season ending another one beginning.  It makes me think of the verse in Ecclesiastes:

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens…

In life there are seasons.  Growth seasons.  Painful seasons.  Fun seasons.  Hard seasons.  Joyful seasons.  Fill-in-the-blank-Seasons.  God will teach us something in each season if we’ll allow Him.

What season are you in?  What season could you be going into?  Are you holding too tightly to a season that has expired?