After a fun conversation, I laughed and proclaimed, “This isn’t me. I’m not this person.” I was sharing some surprising new developments, actions and thoughts with a friend. He smiled and asked, “Has it occurred to you that you ARE this person? That you have changed and this is who you are now?” I paused, somewhat shocked at the possibility that I wasn’t acting out of character, but I was in fact, being true to myself... the new me.

Life brings about change, and of course I wasn’t the same individual I once was. I had grown, matured, enjoyed numerous experiences both good and bad, and in the process bloomed and developed. In that moment I realized that I had a mission: learn and accept who I am now, and embrace this season of my life.

To Everything There Is a Season

I once thought that if something wasn’t going well, I needed immediate resolve so as not to have a “bad” life. As I’ve grown, I’ve come to realize that life isn’t black and white, or cut and dry. No matter how successful and happy life is, there will be lows. No matter how dark it gets, there will be bright spots. Peaks and valleys are all part of the package and passing moments don’t account for the aggregate of the experience.

As I delved into the concept of seasons, I was drawn to these quotes:
● “Nothing in nature blooms all year. Be patient with yourself.” ~ Unknown
● “Embrace this season of life, for it is just that... a season.” ~ Unknown
● “Change with the seasons of life. Don’t try to stretch a season into a lifetime.” ~ Unknown
● “The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success.” ~ Paramahansa Yogananda
● “People are put into your life for seasons, for different reasons, and to teach you lessons.” ~ Selena
● “All human life has its seasons and cycles, and no one’s personal chaos can be permanent. Winter, after all, gives way to spring and summer, though sometimes when branches stay dark and the earth cracks with ice, one thinks they will never come, that spring, and that summer, but they do, and always.” ~ Truman Capote

Accept, Embrace and Enjoy

Everything in nature -- including man -- experiences seasons. Accepting this concept puts tribulation into perspective, highlights the good moments, and clarifies the big picture. Nothing is permanent, and knowing that sweet moments are precious and that bad ones will pass leads to a healthy outlook and an enriching experience. Enjoy, learn and grow while accepting the seasons of your life.