Four Seasons of Change

If you live in the northeast, maybe like me you’re ready for winter to give way to spring. Just when you thought there couldn’t be any more snow, new flurries descend on the already large piles. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful too. I love the pristine, white landscape in our backyard, the soft, snuggly blankets, and soothing cups of hot tea. I’m also quite ready for a change to warmer days, lighter clothes, and greener landscapes.

The seasons provide a continuous change cycle. I understand the value and influence the change of seasons has. When mindfulness is present, each season helps us focus on and appreciate the visual beauty, change cues, and ways we engage.

Change brings hope. Each season offers us the opportunity to shift, reflect, and make adjustments.

Winter

Winter marks the end of one year and the beginning of another. As the white snow covers the ground, its quiet infuses me with a sense of peace and calm. The stillness allows me to hear myself think. Despite the chill in the air, I feel hopeful for the opportunity to reflect, change, and begin again. I know that the deep freeze provides the essential nourishment for new growth.

Spring

Spring is a time for renewal. As the air becomes warmer, a new sense of hope and joy surround me. I notice the moist smell of the earth, the magical sight of greenery reappearing, and the abundance of flower buds opening. Color returns. My core feels lighter as I appreciate and feel inspired by the transformation before me. There’s an urgency within to embrace change now.

Summer

Summer is more relaxed. I notice the blue sky and dull low hum of a plane above. The thump of a hammer is audible in a nearby yard. There is an ever-so-slight breeze and occasional whooshing sound of an air conditioner. The air smells good, clean, and fresh. It’s not too hot, but warm enough so that no goosebumps appear on my body as the breeze blows. I’m grateful that summer has arrived. The slower pace encourages me to suspend dramatic changes and just be.

Fall

Fall is such an obvious change season with bold shifts in colors, temperatures, and light. The leaves, which fall, crunch, and swirl around me seem to sing change. I sense internal shifts too, which make me feel unsettled. Perhaps this is because change is so apparent. What I see makes me feel like I too need to change and make way for something different. There’s a rumbling and sense of being uncomfortable. This is not a bad thing. Change is nudging me to move forward.

How is change present as you experience the shifting seasons? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.