Self-Reflection Sundays: Seasons

The Bible says that "to everything there is a season". It mentions a season of sowing and reaping, a time to laugh and a time to cry, a time to live and a time to die, etc. 

Seasons are such an interesting thing. There are the four seasons: fall, winter, spring, and summer. There are seasons that represent different stages in life. There are things that we thought would last forever, but alas when they don't, we say they were seasonal. With every season, there is a change. It's not immediate (most of the time). You don't just go to sleep freezing on last day of winter and wake up to a warm spring day. The change is gradual. Seasonal changes have different effects on us, but no matter how much we do or don't want to welcome the changes, they are inevitable and we have to decide how we will react to them.

With the recent turn of the season from summer to fall, the weather isn't the only thing that has changed in my life. I truly am embracing a season of "going for it". A recent thing I "went for" involved letting go of something that I was involved in for decades. I thought it would be everlasting but I've noticed some changes for quite some time. I finally got out of the limbo stage and made a move to let it go completely! This past week, I kept analyzing my decision to determine if I was truly standing up for myself or if I was being too brash. Nevertheless, I've accepted that the season was over. Life is full of opportunities to make things how you want it. I don't want to be stuck somewhere because I was to fearful to move on from something so familiar, even though it was no longer beneficial. I've learned a few lessons and maybe it will help you to embrace your new season:

1) Put things in the right compartment: We mess up when we think that something is supposed to last a lifetime when it really is supposed to just last for a season. Know when something is worth holding on to and when it's time to let go. You'll look very silly wearing a tank top with no coat while it's snowing outside. Some things are yearlong and some things are seasonal. Mixing them up can be damaging.

2) Be prepared: Seasons never sneak up on you. "Winter is coming" isn't just a slogan from a great tv show, it's also a fair warning of the inevitable. You can enter the new season with an attitude because the long sunny days full of barbecues and beaches will be coming to an end. Or you can suck it up and bring out the heavy coats and boots. Regardless of what you do, the next season will come. You can ignore it and continue to wear sandals and shorts. But that will not stop the season from changing, it will just mean that you'll get sick. 

3) Embrace the beauty of each season: It's not very fun driving on the ice after snow freezes. It's also not fun freezing when standing outside. But snow helps to clear the air and it's really pretty to watch as it's falling. Brisk air is frustrating when deciding to use the heat or not indoors. It's also not fun raking up leaves, but fall colors are beautiful to gaze upon. Summer is HOT! But cookouts are fun and there's something about longer daylight that makes it seem like you have more hours. Spring brings allergies, but spring is not too cold or hot, and you don't need extra layers or heavy shoes. All in all, seasons are going to come and go for the rest of your life. You have the right to be bitter about them, or embrace and appreciate what they have to offer. 

Embrace your changing seasons. If you avoid the changes because of fear or familiarity with the old, you will miss out on new opportunities and you'll never experience the freedom of letting go of what you've been trying to hold on to.