Spring is a Tween

As I type these words, I’m keenly aware of the fact that if I were to look out of the windows on one side of my house I would see blue skies, puffy clouds and sunshine. But, I’m just as aware of the fact that if I were to look out of the windows on the opposite side of my house I would see a sky that was so dark it’s almost black, and ominous clouds full of rain.

And, as I type these words, I have a 12 year old son who woke up this morning incredibly grumpy. He complained about pretty much everything in his life and I’m fairly certain that just the fact that He and I were even sharing the same air was totally annoying him.

But, later on this afternoon, I went to pick up that same boy from school. And he hopped into the car with a smile on his face and said, “Hey mommy!” We talked about his day and what homework he has and how someone cried in P.E. (who can blame them really!) and we laughed together as we playfully fought over control of the radio.

For all of those 20 minutes, everything was as glorious as the sunshine streaming in through the windows on one side of my house. But, I know that all too soon it will be time for homework and chores and that my boy’s mood could quickly become as dark and gloomy as the sky on the other side of the house.

And I’ve realized something.

Spring is like a Tween.

Spring is moody. When it’s shining those rays of sun down on you and the clouds part to reveal clear, blue sky, you feel as though you have been deemed worthy of receiving the very best it has to offer.

But, in a matter of minutes that mood shifts. The dark clouds begin to form and you are left wondering what on earth you did to deserve the downpour that follows. Spring has one foot in winter and one foot in summer just as a tween has one foot in childhood and one foot in young adulthood. No wonder they are both so confused!

For those of us who are simply along for the ride, it can be incredibly exhausting and feel like a constant guessing game. You feel like you have to be prepared for anything and everything. You never know if you are going to need sunscreen or an umbrella.

And yet, none of us can imagine a year without spring. It’s a season filled with so much hope and expectation. I think that maybe it’s because we see evidence all around us of potential.

Potential is defined as, “having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future.”

The buds peeking up through the ground and the tiniest of leaves emerging from the branches. The day that is unseasonably warm and reminds us that very soon those temperatures will be the norm rather than the exception. It all reminds us that spring has all of the potential of turning into summer.

And when I look at my almost 13 year old son, not only do I see the amazing qualities he already embodies, I also see this unbelievable potential. I see him showing the capacity to develop into a man who loves the Lord and is a light for Him. I see him showing the capacity to develop into a wonderful husband and father.

As I sit here and type these words, with the dark sky on one side of my house and the sunshine on the other, I know that very likely something magical is about to happen. Because, around here, those two starkly contrasting views mean one thing.

There is a very good chance that a rainbow is about to appear.

While it’s there, I will marvel at it’s beauty and appreciate all of it’s intricacies. I will celebrate it’s nuances and know that it only shows up when the dark sky meets the light.

And I will remember that it’s fleeting, simply a brief moment in time. Like Spring…and tweens!