Another Saturday … another Five Minute Friday contribution. I’m linking up with Kate Motaung at (http://katemotaung.com/2015/12/03/five-minute-friday-season/) where we write for five minutes and publish!  Check out other great stories all on this week’s prompt —  SEASON.

The timer is set, so let’s GO …

It’s easy to glance at the prompt this week and think about the Christmas season. But, my warped mind took another turn. I started thinking about the seasons of life.

I don’t know why except I recognize I’m in my winter season … the last of my time. I don’t get sad about it. But of late I have been reminded over and over my days are getting shorter and colder. It’s just the way it is. At this juncture I don’t know if I have days, weeks, months or years ahead of me — that’s God’s decision, not mine. In other seasons I just didn’t think that way. I knew my winter was coming but it was way down the road. I passed a sign the other day saying “Welcome to Winter.”

Of course it all starts with Spring. That’s new life. That’s  learning and growing. That’s a time of innocence.

Then comes Summer. Carefree and full of life and sunshine (I know there are some gloomy times, but brightness and exuberance of … STOP

… summer keeps us going).

Fall brings challenges. We look back at our summer adventures and realize our leaves (hair) may be falling, our step has the crispness of frostiness, our friends start hibernating.

And there it is … Winter. There is still plenty to do in the abbreviated sunshine — or the extended night. But there is a loss of freedom as we exchange the fearlessness of spring and confidence of summer with the timidity of fall and uncertainty of winter. And we look back … realizing it all happened in the blink of an eye.

So, this season — my winter season — I’ll look back with hot cider or hot chocolate in hand on a wintry night and remember while the days grow short, my life as vintage wine from fine old kegs, from the brim to the dregs and it poured sweet and clear. It has been a very good life (with apologies to Ervin Drake and Frank Sinatra). And hopefully there is more to come.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Being is more important than doing.