Blogpost # M.73 THE FOUR SEASONS

For the purposes of our present theme, we have chosen to borrow the title and architecture of the thrilling and dramatic violin concerto of the venerable baroque composer, Antonio Vivaldi. In the infra- structure of his brilliantly conceived work, the discrete meteorological seasons are serially portrayed by their appropriate musical strains and nuanced tempo, symbolically referable to their respective universal characteristics.
We see expressive utility in our chosen analogy between the format of said musical composition and the varied theme of Man’s nuanced reaction to the discrete progressive changes, natural to his “seasons” of life. In the interest of literary candor, we will confess to the possibility of subjectivity of treatment and will confine our observations and remarks to our perceptions of the mainstream persona. Like Vivaldi, we have employed the format of four seasons, albeit, arbitrarily selected and perceived: “toddler to age 20, “young adult”, ages 21 to 40, “mature adult,”” 41 to 60, over 61, old age.” N.B., for purposes of simplicity of presentation, we have chosen to model our observations on the universally observed traits relative to the dynamics and self-perception of the maturing member of mainstream America, omitting the nuance of minority status, economic class or disability.
SPRING:
Regarding his first season of life, (childhood) there is little to be contextually observed, relative to the variation of Man’s subjective propensity for temporal adjustment and perception to life’s evolving process of maturation. During this early period the human persona has not, by virtue of the absence of inclination, nor sufficient instructive interpersonal interaction to have enabled the formation of an established and referable self-image. Dependent upon his parents and others. by temporal necessity, he submits to their supervisory care and autocratic authority; often, as relevant, submissive to their expressed observations concerning his character. There pragmatically, z paucity of empirical observations possible. relative to our theme of temporal adjustment and appropriate perception, with the possible exception of an increasing, impatient aspiration for greater personal agency and capability, as available, when they are older.
SUMMER:
During the ensuing and radically changing period encompassing adolescence to young adulthood, the factor of self-image and capacity for inner personal awareness and thought has had some time to develop. Nevertheless, sufficient interactive experience is developmentally necessary to the establishment of a consistent and usefully referable lifetime self-image. In the earlier part of this season of life, physical prowess and endurance are at their highest level of capability and are proudly taken for granted. In the space of a couple of decades, a subtle, but noticeable amelioration of the same is subtly and disturbingly noticeable. The individual, at times, accordingly, feeling a degree of limitation and a sense of developing vulnerability, longs for his earlier physical aptitude and empirically confirmed, confidence in his physical prowess. In contrast, however, his personal awareness of his distinct persona, has been in the empirical process of development toward the destination of a referable inner identity and stable perception of himself and his environment. During this season, he may choose to marry and start a young family, with the accompanying implicit prestige and sense of maturity; however, as a contrasting feeling of disappointment, he mourns a presenting subtle, but noticeable, decline in physical capability. Often, he seeks, vainly, to reprise his prior level of physical capabilities by joining a gym or participation in a regular “rehabilitative” and “restorative” regimen of physical exercise.
FALL:
With the advent of this human season, self-image and personal identity have had time and experience to have established a stable and referable basis; and a personalized, nuanced interactive identity is internalized, which regarding normally socialized individuals, is not notably dissimilar. Disturbingly, strength and physical endurance have declined noticeably, by painful subjective comparison with that of earlier seasons of his life, now complicated by subtle, and not so subtle, changes in personal appearance and in the physiology of muscle mass and consequent capability. He may suffer the poignant recognition of observed changes from his former youthful appearance to one of mature aging. This specific. temporal discovery empirically, seems more exigently discomforting in the women. It is the latter’s perceived “catastrophic” and insecurity of perception that exponentially enriches the coffers of the purportedly, restorative, cosmetic industry and their incessant advertisers. This emotional reaction is In temporal synchrony with the recently acquired empirically useful experience-based sense of self identity and referable self- image and the emotionally corrosive panic of aging and looking the part.
WINTER:
In the fourth season of life, we observe, for diverse people, the culmination of the lifetime personal success of self-fulfillment or, contrastingly, feelings of depressive degeneration, dependant upon the individual’s development of a contemplative and mature perspective on the natural dynamics life, or depressive bitterness about the accompanying physical features of an approaching old age. Physical prowess has radically declined, joints and backs evince pain, in many cases, ambulation is dependent on a cane, a walker or a wheelchair, hearing aids and corrective eyeglasses are required and family members or others are required to assist in various physical activities. For those who have been wise or fortunate to have developed a mature sense of perception and understanding, there is the innate feeling of gratitude for the franchise of life, itself and (hopefully) for reasonably acceptable health; for others, unfortunately, sense of despair and depression.
The professed intention of this writing is the emphasis on the personal benefits of a rational, mature perception and appreciation of the eternal procedural orchestration of life. As we have consistently proposed, the same can be attained by the lifetime process of self-improvement through reading good literature and involvement in the arts and sciences; thereby, one contemplatively advances towards the goal of a mature perception and a development and in useful consequence, a rational acceptance of the universal and inevitable changes in the normal orchestration of life. The qualities of character and persona, as well as physical beauty are empirically and appropriately evaluated, in the relevant context of the naturally occurring stage of one’s lifetime symphony; vain attempts at altering one’s naturally evolving personal appearance by vain cosmetic subterfuge, restoration of anachronistic youthful prowess or other feckless examples of demonstrated immaturity are revelatory of a superficial and unrewarding life experience; and, additionally, an aesthetic failure to see beauty and value in their appropriately applicable settings.
Like Vivaldi’s great symphony, all of life’s stages, in context, can aesthetically and valuably be perceived as beautiful.
-p.