Seven winds are blowing… yours may be a gentle breeze or a tempest strong, but like our lives, the air is never still. Dead calm is for the dead. For all of us life is made up of cyclones of emotion, of experience, of our “being” blending with the “being” of those we cross paths with… and across those paths, these seven winds blow …
The Winds of Innocence are a playful breeze. As children we feel it soft against our face. The sun shines brightly and we breathe innocence deep and long. The air is sweet, and it fills our lungs with the anticipation that this moment will last forever… if only, if only it could.
But soon the winds change, and we feel the chilling and harsh Winds of Disappointment. For some it blows when a friend chooses to leave us behind in favor of another. Nearly all of us have felt this wind blow through the criticism of a teacher or the condemnation of a coach. But for some, the bitter sting of this wind blows from the lips of their dad, or their mom… blowing in a stormy downpour of criticism, torrents of judgment raining down, judgments that we failed them some how, some way… and the strong, devastating winds blow on.
No wind lasts forever and soon comes the refreshing Winds of Freedom. We spread our wings to leave the nest, and the strong warm breath of heaven lifts us up and away from that place we’ve always called home. These winds take us to new heights & new failures, new experiences and new frontiers. So many paths to choose in life- where to live, what to learn, who to love- and the Winds of Freedom are the energy that drive us down each road.
And the winds blow on… With the exhilaration of our new found Freedoms, new strange winds blow across our life… and they blow, we catch a strange new scent in the air. We breathe deep the rich sensuous aroma of the Winds of Desire. It is no surprise that we use “whirlwind” as the word to describe passionate romances. The Winds of Desire fill our sails to explore new & exciting frontiers. But these winds also quickly turn to storms, and leave in their wake the destruction of hearts, of hopes and of homes.
But when ill winds blow (and they will), they don’t blow forever. As the danger that comes with Desire blows past, many times what follows are the Winds of Joy. The fruits of our Desire are the breath of new lives born. Children have a way of bringing everything else in Life into perspective. The Wind of Joy that blows them into our life continues to blow through diapers and scars, through schoolwork and cars… and still the winds blow on.
Our lives do not go unnoticed by cruel winds, the Winds of Despair. Cold winds seem to rob the breath from our lungs as life happens. Broken relationships leave us alone in a bitter empty place, with the Wind as our only companion. Death is no stranger to our journey as it claims those we love. Words left unspoken, or remembrances of time poorly spent echo on the whistling Wind of Despair.
But wait… closes your eyes, and wait for it. Slowly, gently, you feel the warm gentle breeze blowing again. These are the Winds of Hope. Winds that blow away the clouds of Doubt, winds that clear the mists of Uncertainty and Confusion. The Winds of Hope bring with them an expectation, a passionate longing for what comes on the next wind blowing. Your heart is alive again and life is good, good for one day, one breath of wind, at a time. And for now, that is more than enough. It is spectacular!
And so the Seven Winds blow, across your life and mine. What’s my advice to you? Let the winds blow… and remember that as surely as they blow, they are just as sure to change. So enjoy the weather while you still can…