The seasonal changes are a beautiful design that so perfectly parallel the path of our lives. We may not always get to decide how long each one individually lasts, but what we can know for sure is that they’re all filled with purpose, and without Winter there can’t truly be a Spring.
With more news of crazy snowfall across the country the last couple days, so many posts pop up on social media with sentiments like “I’m SO sick of the snow!” or “I just can’t WAIT for Spring”…and trust me, being able to wear shoes without socks and go out without my heavy coat sound like welcome concepts to me, right now. But it’s also something that reminds me of a general mindset that sometimes we struggle with (or at least I do!): wishing away the current season we’re in, for what is on the horizon. While it’s totally ok to look forward to what’s ahead, I think it’s so important to remember to be present where you are. To enjoy the beauty – and the struggle – of where you are because it’s only through embracing the here and now, and allowing ourselves to grow to our greatest potential and enjoy it to the fullest, that will make the next season truly appreciated. It’s all too easy to get into the dangerous habit of always looking forward to the next season….the next milestone….the next accomplishment….and we lose out on the beauty and joy that’s surrounding us here in the present. And then before we know it, 4 seasons have gone by and we hardly remember any of it because we were always looking past now into what’s next.
Snow is cold, and wet, and messes up travel plans, sometimes. Winter seasons in life can also feel cold, and isolating, and hard. Maybe your business feels like it’s in a rut, maybe on a personal level you are struggling with finding joy or contentment. I’m not saying every season is equally enjoyable, but in the midst of the harshness of the dead of Winter is also this mesmerizing beauty of quiet and calm; blankets of white that force us to slow down and stay cooped up and just be. And I think we need that break. We need that slower pace, and we need time to quiet our hearts and minds and slow down our lives to prepare for the pace that picks up when the sun is shining and the birds start singing more.
The seasonal changes are a beautiful design that so perfectly parallel the path of our lives. We may not always get to decide how long each one individually lasts, but what we can know for sure is that they’re all filled with purpose, and without Winter there can’t truly be a Spring. So don’t be too quick to wish it away. Savor the last moments that we have in this phase to prepare for what’s coming next. It will be over before you know it, but this doesn’t have to be time we just “put up” with. It can be beautiful and appreciated for what it is.
Go out and play in the snow one more time, or curl up by the fire and allow yourself one more relaxation day. Take today for what it is, because rain or snow, warm or cold….it’s the only today that we get and it’s precious, purposeful time.
Happy Weekend, friends.
