I woke up earlier this week to a different kind of morning.  Nothing drastic or earth shattering, but I noticed that the air was cooler, much cooler than the summer mornings that had preceded this one.  I said to myself, “this is it, the change of seasons is upon us.”  It was as if a fever had broken.  There was a feeling of relief from the hot and humid days of July and August.  There was a crispness to the air instead of the usual heaviness.  The days are getting noticeably shorter and I grabbed a light jacket on the way out of the door to keep the chill at bay.

As nature traverses through its four seasons, I believe that there is a human seasonality.  Having grown up on a farm I have been attentive to the transitions from winter to spring and summer to autumn most of my life.  I learned to appreciate the grueling and long days of summer as we cherished the long days because we had so much that needed to be done.  And, although I have never been fond of the limited hours of daylight that come with winter’s arrival, I recognized at a young age that the rest and solace of those days were a welcome and needed change of pace from the rigors of summer.

As I have evolved through life I have come to know that I too go through seasons.   I became very aware of this over the past two years as I have worked to create an online business.  I know that I am in the summer season.  The days are long and the effort is vast, but I liken it to those prolonged days on the farm.  There is a knowingness that the hard and focused work will pay off and that the seeds that have been planted will one day allow for a bountiful harvest.  I have found it comforting to compare my own seasons with those of nature.  It allows for acceptance and gratitude for the ups and downs and the twists and turns.

And, as certain as there was a recent change in the morning air, I am confident that I will soon be presented with the opportunity to embrace and enjoy my own change of seasons.  Nature has always been my wise and generous teacher and I am looking forward to the many lessons that are yet to come.

Whatever season you find yourself in, enjoy your days as they are fleeting.  Stay present in each moment and don’t forget to celebrate each and every small victory along the way.

Stay true and be you —

Annie