Letters Home is a collection of letters written by the fictional character of Christina Allgood to her sister, Katrina, letters in which she shares the lessons she has learned throughout her life.
July 8, 1999
Katrina,
Summer is here again, the sun shining brightly on this July afternoon. The cows sound as though they’re complaining about the summer heat, but even the horses are remaining in the shaded areas during the middle of the day. But the mountain doesn’t complain, spreading out its hills to absorb the rays of gold, basking in the season that it views as being the keeper of the circle of life, the force that can keep the cycle rotating.
In the early spring, seeds sprout and life returns after its journey through winter, all things beginning to grow anew. But, it is summer with its warmer temperatures and season of growth that receives the message from spring to keep the world growing, to continue in the process. And, so summer does continue, through heat and rain, bringing the growth of Earth to fruition. But, then the summer has other duties to fulfill, continuing to warm the Earth until preparations are readied for fall to begin her season. And, after assisting fall to begin, fall assists winter, and winter assists spring, until, once again, spring passes to summer the responsibility of the Earth. And, through it all, the sun shines, yielding, at times, to the necessity and the knowledge and the skill of the other seasons until reigning throughout the summer months.
They gladly work together, the seasons, helping the world to prosper, helping the cycle of life to continue. Each season is important and respected by the other seasons, each season a queen in her own right who rules the kingdom with a gentle hand and a compassionate heart, each determined to fulfill her role in helping the Earth continue, proud to make each season matter, proud to make each moment matter.
Humans could learn a thing or two from the seasons, lessons of interdependence, lessons of making each season, each moment, count. Even the wind has focus, blowing in certain directions, whispering the stories of the mountains into the ears of those who will hear, singing autumn lullabies to gently calm the Earth into slumber, or screaming in anger when enraged of how the Earth is being treated. But, humans too often tend to live without direction, without knowing their purpose, simply walking through life from one day to the next without reason, suffering through routines, and, unknowingly, without the determination of achieving happiness for their lives.
All life deserves joy. Think of how much more joy each person could feel if they felt purposeful, valuable, important to the cycle of life, if each person simply slowed down their life to enjoy each moment until learning that life is allowed to be happy and fulfilled. But, joy is lost to regularity when humans run through day after day, repeating the same tasks mindlessly, no longer thinking about or studying what is going on around them, simply counting the hours until it is time to repeat the same routine once again.
But, like each season has a reason for being, so does each human, each animal, each plant, and all living beings are allowed joy. Puppies, running and jumping over one another, sniffing about their new territory, are joyful, happy to be alive, having fun feeling the spring breeze in their face or a hand upon their fur. Flowers stretch upward in the morning, saying hello to the world, happy to greet the day as their dewy tears of joy drip to the Earth. And, the mountain sits proudly, watching it all, but still confused about the human condition, wondering why, after all this time, humans still haven’t learned to live.
So much beauty exists around us, if we only take the time to notice. We can find joy in gazing at the sunrise and watching the birth of a new day. We can find joy in watching the sunset, rich hues sailing across the horizon like an angel tucking in the world for a night of sleep, or in studying the romantic glow of the moon. We can find joy if we take the time to listen to the trees or actually experience the feeling of the breeze against our face comforting us. Joy can be found in studying the smile of a loved one or feeling the honesty of laughter or in that moment of humanity when we understand that we’ve helped someone, that we’ve made a difference in someone else’s life. And, in joy, we find our purpose.
Joy is all around us and inside of us, but we have to slow down to feel it, to experience it, to recognize it. Without joy, life is like eating nothing, tasteless, dull, and without sustenance. But, with joy, life is enriched and happy and, in joy, we find our reason for being and, in sharing joy with others, we find our humanity, the light within.
If humans can find joy, each night will be more restful, each morning more bright, and each day a more wonderful time to experience.
As I look up into the sunny summer sky, the sun knows its purpose and finds joy within. As I look about the land, the cows, the horses, and the trees seem to be comfortable with themselves, happy-- although life is not perfect and never will be-- but happy, content, and at ease. Perhaps, in time, humans shall join them in their triumph, in their peace, in their joy.
With hope,
Sisters,
Christina
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