There is a season for everything
Falling leaves. Cooler temperatures. Sweaters and boots. Hot tea and squash soup. These are all changes that I welcome with open arms every fall. These pleasant changes in climate and color invite me to reflect on the new seasons and layers in my own life.
A few of the most recent and more visibly obvious turns in my life include starting a business, marrying an incredible man, and moving into a cabin-like house in the foothills of the Shenandoah mountains (which comes with all kinds of adventures). A few of the less obvious layers of change include my desire to more consistently practice playfulness, embrace joy, carry trust and to let go of the struggle for perfection (oh, how it has crept up on me as a business owner), the fear of not being enough, and the habit of comparing myself to others. The changes in nature are a beautiful reminder that everything is a season and that each season serves a purpose. Yet, when the season changes, we must let go of the previous one. If the trees do not let go of their leaves, we would be stuck in summer. And, if we kept wearing shorts and tank tops, it would be a mighty uncomfortable winter. There are seasons in nature and life of which I am not fond, but without them I wouldn’t have the joy of the other seasons.
I’ve been holding this poem near to my heart as a reminder of the necessity of all seasons…
and a time for every matter under the heavens:
a time for giving birth and a time for dying,
a time for planting and a time for uprooting what was planted,
a time for killing and a time for healing,
a time for tearing down and a time for building up,
a time for crying and a time for laughing,
a time for mourning and a time for dancing,
a time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones,
a time for embracing and a time for avoiding embraces,
a time for searching and a time for losing,
a time for keeping and a time for throwing away,
a time for tearing and a time for reaping,
a time for keeping silent and a time for speaking,
a time for loving and a time for hating,
a time for war and a time for peace.
I recently challenged my yoga students to reflect on the seasons of their life and I invite you to do the same.
Reflect on the past season of your life. Was it a season for planting? Uprooting? Searching? Losing? Identify one thing from the past season that you no longer want to carry (i.e. fear, worry, shame, busyness, guilt, tension, or excess). Take a few deep breaths wherever you are and imagine releasing that word with each exhale.
Consider something you want to cultivate in the next season (i.e. peace, patience, quietness, love, simplicity, freedom, joy). Take a few deep breaths and with each inhale repeat that word to yourself.
As you reflect, I encourage you to do so without judgment or analysis. As Solomon implies God’s timing is perfect, but we will not always understand it. If you are uncertain of the purpose of this season in your life, I hope you will practice embracing the mystery.
May you have a happy and healthy fall!