Today as I was driving I noticed how some of the leaves are changing color. I’m fortunate that, although I live in an urban area, there are many trees and a variety of types of trees so that in the next few weeks I will see more and more changes. Shades of gold, orange, and red intermixed with the green of the pine trees. Although generally I enjoy the changes of seasons, I have to admit I sometimes dread the coming of winter, with its cold temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight. So I have mixed feelings about the coming of fall again because it signals the coming of winter. But fall certainly is a very pretty time of the year.
The seasons are symbolic of many things. The seasons reflect the stages of life, from a baby being in the spring of life to an elderly person being in the winter of life. Thinking about the seasons also reminds me of dealing with the challenges I must face from time to time, those challenges that help me to become more whole. Just as I don’t look forward to winter, I don’t look forward to dealing with difficulties. I recognize that they are part of the reality of life, and I acknowledge that they help me to change in positive ways, but I still don’t look forward to them. And yet, once I have faced and dealt with a difficult situation to the best of my ability, I get to feel good about myself and to sense the inner change that has taken place. For after winter comes spring, a time of rebirth and renewal.