Hennie Symington

There is a time be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.  Ecclesiastes 3:2

Imagine you had the option of starting off your life story like a fairy tale with “Once upon a time…” The script you envision would probably include joy, love, money, and every good thing life has to offer. Who would think of including hardship, suffering or loss in their fairy tale?

However, real life, as we know, includes a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. Our lives, over the years, are punctuated by many changes brought about by losses and gains, new beginnings or endings. How we cope with these changes is of course the million dollar question before writing down your own “and they lived happily ever after.”Sadly our real-life stories seldom end in the happy ending we dreamed of.

Our comfort is: We’re not the first nor the only generation who has pondered upon these things. King Solomon, a knowledgeable man as we all know, thought deeply about the way life goes. The book of Ecclesiastes is indeed the writings of a wise person who contemplated the human condition as well as the inevitability of change and growth. As we read Ecclesiastes 3 we too are brought face to face with the seasons of our lives which are punctuated by change, loss, and thanks be to God, also new growth.

Prayer: Our Father, thank you for being there through all our seasons and giving meaning to our lives, in and out of season. Amen