Things Frosty Knew…

A shift in the atmosphere can shift everything. Frosty knew that “the sun was hot that day.” And the shape of things was about to change.

It seems every Christmas I get struck by the meaning of a particular carol. This one seemed a bit far fetched, but somehow it helped me make sense of some things. It has been a long challenging season of change. I guess I thought the “snowman thing” was going to last forever. But seasons change. And so does the shape of life. It looked one way. But the “hot sun” changed it up.

There’s many of us in this season…maybe a melting away of a dream, a career, a relationship, a community, our health, our vision. If the “hot sun” has changed things up, we can rejoice still. Because melting away things are not the end of any story.

There are cartoons depicting Frosty looking concerned about, even sweating, the arrival of the hot sun. But the song says that Frosty knew about the sun. And he told his friends that they were going to run and have some fun before things changed.

When Frosty waved goodbye, he told them not to cry. He would be back again one day. He gave the one thing that could help them move on when things were about to change. He gave them hope. He pointed to the future and helped them see differently.

So this year’s carol taught me a few things. The first is that the “snowman thing” is likely going to change at some point. I can’t get so stuck on my life as it is that I close myself off to what will be added as those things change.

The second is to live in the present. Frosty told his friends they were going to be enjoying the time that they had, not worrying about the time they didn’t. There are things I know are in the process of changing, but I need to keep my eyes on today. Before they change, I want to enjoy the time we have! As for things that have already changed, I can choose to think positively, enjoying the transition season and the promise it holds.

Finally, our words can offer hope to those in shifting seasons. We have to be willing to see when the “hot sun” is changing things up for people and then be generous with our words. I know I have benefitted as people have been conduits of hope for me. Kindness, encouragement, generosity, and gratitude are ways we can offer hope to those in shifting seasons.

Melted away things are never the final word. They may signal a change in the atmosphere and a need to move forward in a different way. But there is always something beyond the melting.

There is renewal and rebirth. The resurrection of a new form is taking place. Even Frosty knew that:)