Vivaldi & Solomon: the tale of our life
Updated: Oct 15, 2021
When I think about life, I often think of The Four Seasons composed by Antonio Vivaldi, and A Time for Everything penned by Solomon. Vivaldi probably never imagined how much his music would have resonated with countless people of all ages and backgrounds. Neither do I think Solomon realised how much his evocative poem would capture our hearts centuries later.
In his timeless masterpiece, Vivaldi has given musical expression to seasons that truly are the backdrop to the life we live. The Four Seasons reminds me that life has rhythm, and in continuity there is change. Each season proudly showcases its unique beauty and tenaciously claims its own space.
I also like to think that The Four Seasons tells the stories of our lives. Spring reminds me of the birth of a baby; summer, the strength and vigour of the youth; autumn, the experiences of the grey-headed hair; and winter, the stage we all occupy but for a short time.
Centuries before Vivaldi, the wisest man who ever lived expressed the same sentiments in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
From the moment we take our first breath to our last, our life is composed of mundane details and extraordinary moments. As each day unfolds, new opportunities are offered, decisions are to be made, and meaning is to be discovered. There is always a trade-off between the old and the new, the known and the unknown, and hope and fear.
A clock may stop working, our watch may no longer mark the time, but time doesn't stand still; it never waits for anyone. The life we live is precious time granted to us by a loving Creator who is not bound by time. He is the God of all seasons, and He is present in all seasons.
The Four Seasons celebrates the beauty of creation and points to the Eternal God who holds the world in His hand, and this includes you and me. A time for everything reminds us that life has true meaning only when we have found our peace and joy in God.