Spring, The Season Of Transitions
BY JACK LEVINE
Tallahassee is where we have called home for 43 years. One of our local town slogans is “Where Spring Begins.” My wife, Charlotte, and I raised our sons here, and while they are now living out on the Pacific Coast, their roots are here at home. We have established an organic raised-bed garden for vegetables and flowers which attract our beloved bees from their nearby hive to perform their pollination services and produce delicious honey.
“Negativity and division never result in collective progress. Unity and equity of opportunity are far better options to achieve our goals for safety, justice, and prosperity.”
The celebrations of Easter and Passover are symbolic of what we hold most dear. Easter gives us the spiritual message of the power to overcome suffering, dedicate ourselves to faith, and celebrate the fabulous rebirth of life’s cycle. The saga of Passover focuses on freedom from oppression and the importance of faith and persistence in the face of adversity.
All religions strive to provide an emotional connection to life’s realities, lighting a path for understanding our complex life voyage. My friend who practices Buddhism reminds me how all of life’s events, including death, are transformations into another stage of being. In Buddhism, Karma (from the Sanskrit for “action, work”) is the force that drives Samsara — the cycle of natural suffering, rededication, and rebirth for each being.
Transitions are life’s crossroads. We are rooted in personal experiences and make important choices as we move forward.
As a parent, I know how critical it is to carefully balance guidance and freedom, influence, and acceptance. Who among us would not wish for more power to make decisions for others, especially for our children, but know we have limited capacity to do so. We can hope for the best but must be prepared to respond to whatever events come our way.
As we have now experienced the agony of a complete year under the stress of the global COVID-19 pandemic, this Spring brings us an elevated sense of optimism knowing that vaccinations are becoming available to a growing number of family members.
Charlotte and I have now been fully vaccinated and are relieved to know that our risk of contracting the illness is now significantly reduced. Of course, while the threat is diminishing, we are far from secure and must continue to practice preventive measures with great vigilance.
Federal executive and congressional leadership are acting expeditiously to bring needed resources to our medical, educational, and employment sectors which have suffered severely from this past year’s frightful impact.
Let’s celebrate that leadership knowing that we must all play our part in dedicated service to our community’s needs. Negativity and division never result in collective progress. Unity and equity of opportunity are far better options to achieve our goals for safety, justice, and prosperity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – JACK LEVINE
Jack with his wife, Charlotte, gazing at their first grandchild.
Jack Levine, Founder
4Generations Institute
Jack@4Gen.org
The Advocate’s Credo:
Thou art my child, my parent, and my elder,
I love thee best,
But could not love thee half as much,
Loved I not all the rest.
Jack Levine
