End Season One

I decided that my journey is like the turning of the seasons; summer, fall, winter, spring -- battling, dying, being trapped, and being reborn. Today ends Season One - Summer. These seasons do not fit into neat, 13-week boxes like Earth's seasons do. Nor do their order and place correlate with the current season (winter now in Baltimore). They do not represent the best that the seasons have to offer. But, they are my seasons and this is how they seem to me.

SUMMER
Summer lasted six weeks, a hot and relentless summer when simple things became effortful. Daily chemicals and radiation caused some parts to swell with anger, fighting for their ability to grow and take over. Other parts were deprived of the soothing balm of natural fluids. Throbbing anger and arid desert to be persevered on a regular basis. Sometimes, it required intense focus to take the next step: with waves of heat radiating through the soles of my feet.  At other times, the battle took a siesta and I was able to feel cooling shade and an easy mind. I could be productive then. Luckily for me, the siesta time outweighed the battle time (which I knew was always there waiting for me). The soldiers rested and healed, only to be torn apart again during the next battle. Now I understand why people say they are "battling" cancer. We have an amazing array of bombs and weapons to unleash on the enemy. They have a history of coming back anyway. So we do what we can without destroying the host. Shock and awe.

Tomorrow starts Fall, a time when we wait for the enemy to succomb to the harsh environment we created for them. Their sustenance dries up and their troops are not able to replicate. A time of dying -- for them.

Interestingly, the piece of music that I listened to and heard in my head the most during this season was "Close to the Edge" by Yes. The final verse echoed in my mind at least once a day.

Close to the edge, down by the river.

Down at the end, round by the corner.

Seasons will pass you by,

Now that it's all over and done,

Called to the seed, right to the sun.

Now that you find, now that you're whole.

Seasons will pass you by.

I get up, I get down.

I get up, I get down.

I get up, I get down.

I get up.

Thank you, friends and family for helping me to bear the summer.