It’s that time of year when I’m finally accepting the fact that winter has arrived. The past week has brought it’s share of cold and snow, which we’ll be living with for the foreseeable future.
But it won’t last forever.
Sometime, not too long from now, the snow will have melted and the temperature warmed, and we’ll be enjoying the springtime.
The changing of the seasons is a familiar experience for most of us. Not only do we see it first hand in the weather around us, but we also see it in the stages of our life. These seasons may not be cyclical like the annual weather, but each of us will experiences them as we age. The college student is in a different season (or stage) of life than the retired grandparents. The couple with a house full of young children is in a different season than the empty-nesters.
Recognizing, and accepting, that life has different seasons can be helpful. It can help us in saying no to items of secondary importance, knowing that saying no right now doesn’t means we’re saying no forever; it’s just ‘no’ for this season of life.
If you’re in a season where you have young children, for instance, there may be some hobbies or activities that you drop during that time. Not because you don’t enjoy these activities, or because you’ll never do them again, but because for that season of life you’ve decided that your time is better spent being present with your children.
Knowing that seasons change, and the current state of affairs isn’t forever, not only can help our perspective, but can also give us an incentive to appreciate what we can in our current state of life.
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit…” ― Thoreau
Life stops for no one. Babies become teenagers and teenagers become adults. Our bodies age. People move and companies changes. Which means, if there’s anything worth savoring or taking advantage of in this season of life, we should do so while we can.
Yes, there may be times where we want the current season to end, and the next one to begin. But unlike the weather, we won’t get this season again. So if there’s anything to appreciate or enjoy about it, the best time to do so is today.