The Value of Contrast! (10/08/21)
Today I heard that (some of) next week will be in the 60’s!
I’ve always loved the change of seasons, even though at some
level we ‘batten down our (mental) hatches’ at this time of year,
ready for the coming colder and darker days. I wonder if part of the
reason why we have to prepare ourselves has to do with what
the Writings say about how vital contrasts are to our perception of
spiritual life:
The Lord provides for the union of goodness and truth in others
through contrast. For goodness is not recognized in its true
character except by contrast with the less good and by the
opposition of evil to it. All discrimination and awareness
spring from this, because from it comes their character. For every
delight is thus perceived and sensed in comparison with what
is less delightful, and in contrast to what is not delightful;
everything beautiful in comparison with what is less beautiful,
and in contrast to what is not beautiful; likewise every good
having to do with love in comparison with what is less good,
and in contrast to what is evil; and every truth having to do with
wisdom in comparison with what is less true and in contrast
to what is false. (Divine Providence 24)
It turns out that the origin of the terms we use to describe this
season in English, themselves contrast in significant ways:
“The origin of ‘Fall’ as a name for a season isn't perfectly clear,
though it’s thought that it came from the idea of the ‘fall of a leaf.’
It first popped up as a name for a season in late 16th century
England and became particularly popular during the 17th century,
at which point it made its way over to North America.
‘Autumn’ meanwhile, entered the English language via the Old
French ‘autompne’, from the Latin ‘autumnus’. From here things
get murky, but it’s thought autumnus probably came from an
Etruscan word and is possibly related to the Latin ‘augere’
meaning ‘to increase’. Calling the season Autumn first occurred
in English in the 12th century, though was a rarity until around the
14th century. It then began to pick up steam and became common
in the 16th century - about the same time as Fall. Before the
season was Autumn or Fall in English though, it was called
‘Harvest’.” (Adapted from mentalfloss.com)
From the ‘fall of the leaf’ to ‘increase’, the same season
can be described in different ways depending on our focus.
A mix on Alexa recently pulled up the Joni Mitchell song
‘Urge For Going’. As I listened,I was struck by the contrasting
images she uses to describe her relationship to a season
she clearly considers special, although difficult in its own way:
Summertime is falling down and winter is closing in
I'll ply the fire with kindling and pull the blankets to my chin
I'll lock the vagrant winter out and I'll bolt my wandering in
I'd like to call back summertime.
And have her stay for just another month or so
But she's got the urge for going so I guess she'll have to go.
There’s something lovely about bundling up and closing in
as the seasons start to change…and something foreboding as well.
Spiritually speaking, do we count our blessings and store up
this time of year, because of how crucial it is to remember that it is
the warmth and light of the Lord’s love and wisdom that gets us
through the winter times of our lives? I tend to think so. In this way
Harvest Season can be both a time of scarcity and a time of
increase. A time of surrender so we can begin again – passing
through these different cycles on the way to a new start.
The contrasts between the seasons bring new appreciation of how
the cycles of life connect from one to another. This is what the
angels think of when the changing of the seasons are mentioned
in the Word:
The reason why 'the morning' means a rising state or a beginning
is that states are meant by all times and seasons, because
in heaven they have no thought of any time or season, only of the
changes of state that affections and consequent thoughts
undergo, and changes of state there are like the times of day,
which are morning, midday, evening, and night, the morning being
that from which they begin. It may come as a surprise to everyone
that in heaven there are no times or seasons, when yet those there
live among one another as people do in the world, though they
are different from them so far as intelligence, wisdom,
and blessedness are concerned.
But the reason is that the light
there radiating from the sun, which is the Lord, does not undergo
daily changes like the light from the sun in the world. Instead
it varies in accordance with the states of love and faith among
the angels, who undergo changes of state like the states of heat,
light, and shade every day on earth. Why this should be so is that
the light there from the Sun, which is the Lord, is Divine Truth,
and the heat from that Sun is love. Angels are affected by these
just as people are in the world by the conditions of light and heat.
(Secrets of Heaven 10605)
Wishing you a peaceful and fulfilling Harvest Season, as you reflect
on the Lord’s many blessings in your life and the value of contrast
in helping you recognise and respond to them.
Love and Peace,
Ethan
