Embracing Change: Finding Joy in Life’s Seasons
Sometimes the seasons of life change more quickly than expected. How do we find joy and embrace changes that we’re not quite ready for?
It’s early August, so why are my chrysanthemums blooming? It is a whole month earlier than usual, and I’m not ready. Mums mean Fall, and I’m not ready for summer to be over—I need more trips to the Tahoe beach, more rounds of golf, more sunshine. I need more summer!
I have to admit, I was warned. There have been tiny buds visible for a month, but I didn’t believe it. And it feels too much like a reflection on my life right now. My husband’s health has led to early retirement and the deactivation of a once active lifestyle.
Just like the buds in the garden, we ignored the signs of life-change. We weren’t ready to accept that life as we knew it was coming to end. The calendar stayed full and “pushing through” became our new motto. We used doctor’s visits to find a way to keep living the life we were used to instead of learning how to adjust to coming change.
It started to feel like living in a too-hot and too-dry summer. Ironically, the fun we once found in our “summer” season was feeling out of reach. And in spite of our efforts to hold onto the way things were, here we are facing the changing of the seasons.
How Do We Let Go?
Sometimes, frustration that the changes coming are not what we want, keeps us from enjoying the beauty in the here and now—like the rich colors of the chrysanthemum. So how can we let go of one season and embrace the coming of the next?
One of the hardest things about accepting change is that often we don’t have control over it. I can’t keep the weather from changing any more than I can keep the earth from spinning in its orbit. But I can open my heart and mind to new experiences and find joy in the changing seasons.
Reach Out
This new season is a season of quiet, but it does not need to be a season of isolation. One key in finding joy in this part of our lives is reaching out to others. While our energy levels change, we can find new ways to stay connected with others.
Although the overuse of technology can sometimes deflect connection, a fun text conversation can stilllighten a difficult day. And finding simple ways to let someone know you care helps you connect with the gifts you still have to offer. Even a simple “thank you” for a visit or message can lift us.
Instead of focusing on what we can’t do, focus on what we can. Enjoy the moments; embrace each interaction. In every season, connecting with others opens us up to more joy than we knew was possible.
Reflect
My friend Jodi Orgill Brown used her 49th birthday to reflect on the lessons learned from unexpected seasons in her life. And then she shares them. 49 Life Lessons
The lessons learned and blessings gained during our trials are not meant to be kept to ourselves. Sharing breaks down walls of isolation and encourages growth even in the slow seasons. And our light expands as we share it with others. See Reclaiming the Light
Renew
Anxiety and fear are side effects of unwanted change. They can rob us of peace and blind us to the ongoing beauty in our lives. Stepping into the unknown is daunting, but we are not alone on this journey. We can find peace and renewal in every season as we “Trust in the Lord with all [our] heart; and lean not unto [our] own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
While my husband and I mourn the activity and busyness we once enjoyed, new strength comes in the quiet. Winter gives us the opportunity to rest and find the strength to bloom in our next season. A change of seasons does not mean that life has ended, just the way we were living it. In the meantime, we pray for eyes to see the beauty ahead and hearts that are open to finding joy in every season.
