A few nights ago, I left the house to pick-up some take out food for dinner. The night was dark, cold and wintry feeling. As I went out the front door, I noticed that a light snow was just beginning to fall. This was the first snow of the season. It came down very slowly, barely stuck to the ground and made the streets glisten.

Particularly where the streetlights shone, I found it magical to watch the flakes gently descending. They looked like they were moving in slow motion.  Seeing the snow reminded me that a new season was on its way. It was time to regroup.

I was particularly appreciative of the slowness of this snowfall. I thought about how in the fast-paced world we live in, it’s especially important to put the brakes on long enough to see, listen, learn and feel what’s going on. If we continually move without ever stopping to reflect, we do ourselves a disservice. Not only do we miss out on “magic moments,” but we also prevent ourselves from hearing our deeper thoughts.

Everywhere I go these days, I hear holiday music. While some people might find this annoying, I love it! I can’t help myself from singing along. The music makes me feel happy. It marks a time of year for gatherings, parties, seeing family and friends. It’s the season for endings and new beginnings. There’s an odd pull between melancholy and hopefulness. We say good-bye to what was and simultaneously look forward to having a new year to begin again. It’s an opportunity to look at our life balance and figure out what needs adjustments and what should be left alone.

Whether it’s slow motion flurries or holiday music, there are cues in every season that indicate that change is upon us. What markers are you noticing? What changes are you anticipating?