Please see your shadow

Every year has four seasons. They come on a regular basis. They're not always the same length, though. Sometimes winter hangs on a little longer than average. Sometimes spring comes early, sometimes late. Sometimes there is snow in November, sometimes no snow comes in any month. Some summers are intensely hot, others are mild.

In various cultures through the ages, proverbs have existed comparing phases in life to the seasons of the year. A good example is from Oedipus the King by Sophocles, written slightly before 400 BCE.  A riddle that Oedipus needed to solve in order to become king used the idea of the seasons of life divided into four parts.

I know in my own life there are certainly times when everything is rockin' and rollin' and times when the number of hours in a day seemed like 124 rather than 24. It wasn't too long ago that I passed through summer. Times were fun, fast. Days were enjoyable, every one. There was laughing and deep joy. Then the leaves turned to yellow and a little later the ice came.

I hope the groundhog has seen his shadow. I'm ready for spring in the worst possible way.