The Seasons of Love

A story about love in conjunction with the four seasons.

I remember it all like it was yesterday.

Spring arrived, and my feelings for you started to blossom. Slowly but surely, you breathed new life into me when everything was cold and lifeless. I wasn’t completely warmed up to you. My loneliness still created showers of doubt. However, just thinking of you conjured up butterflies in my gut. It was like I was experiencing a brand new season -- a spring of love. We spent those months getting to know each other better. But like the earth is always reacquainted with the warmth of the sun after winter, it felt like we’d been here before…

Eventually summer rushed in, and I felt a fire for you. We were in motion. There was no need at all for any layers to be worn over our hearts. The trust we felt for each other provided us with all the warmth and safety we needed. It was exciting, this stage of life! The birds and the bees seemed to fly and buzz between us like magic. We dove into the deep end of romance and laid our blanket on the flowery field of passion. I will never forget the wonder of those months for as long as I love. In each other, we had found love and devotion. Simply being in your presence set my soul ablaze.

Then came fall, and by this time, I felt I had completely fallen in love with you. But for some reason, it felt like you were falling away from me. We still held onto the fire that we had found, but it seemed to be dying. Cool winds of change began to blow. As they did, the gold and crimson leaves that clung to the tree where we carved our initials were being blown away. One by one, those beautiful leaves, like beautiful hours spent with you, met with the dying earth. Darkness would fall earlier as I would wait for you to contact me. I would finally hear your voice later and later each time. I spent these months dealing with confusion and uncertainty. Although I knew what was happening, I found it hard to accept...

When winter finally came along, your love for me had finally died. My heart and my tears could have turned to ice. At home, I’d sit in front of the fireplace, wondering what went wrong. The silent nights without you were deafening. I had been completely turned away from the life-giving warmth of your love -- it killed me. The snowflakes that fell on my eyelashes reminded me of you, solid and present one moment, then gone in the blink of an eye. I’m left only with beautiful memories. Looking back, I remember those months to be excruciatingly painful. But even in the dead of winter, life still hangs on. Even though your leaving hurt me deeply, it did not destroy me, not permanently.

It’s springtime again and my heart is finally healing. I was surprised when you showed up on my doorstep one rainy day. I couldn’t help feeling those butterflies in my gut spring to life once more when you told me you missed me and needed me back in your life. But truth is, I’m moving on now. I’ll always cherish those beautiful memories we have; I am grateful for them. However, it’s time for me to yet again experience a brand new season. This spring, I will start loving myself.

Author's Note

This here is my first submission. Please, review my work! I'd really like to grow as a writer, so all critiques, good or bad, are very welcome. Thank you for reading, and may you experience true love...