After Winter Must Come Spring

With winter only seven days away (though freezing temperatures lately suggests it's already here!) I recall the symbolism the season evokes. The cheerful sun seems to be taken captive by the uncertainty of grey clouds and the biting chill in the air forces us to seek shelter and warmth. Harsh times are always synonymous with winter; worthy of retreat, a time to take cover.

I'm reminded of John Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent, a story about a man of honesty and integrity who makes questionable choices in order to regain his lost fortune and standing in his community. When faced with our personal winters, when we feel the need to run for cover, hibernate, or find alternative means to guard us from the cold harsh storms of our lives, certain choices present themselves which if taken, can cost us dearly.

Our fight or flight instincts kick in as we go into survival mode. Degrees of survival techniques can range from stashing away cash for a rainy day to stomaching a travelling companion's thigh (ok a little dramatic). What's key is to recognize which situations call for which techniques. When our lives seem to spin on their axes away from the sun bringing the colder sides of reality to the forefront, it can appear to be a crisis of grand proportions. We are tempted to make choices we otherwise would not. Our thoughts zoom in on our own personal survival, and consequences may take a back seat.

It is always wise to take a moment or two to assess the situation and weigh the consequences of each choice, and we always have choices. Making rash, potentially selfish or detrimental decisions during our "winter of discontent," could leave us in worse condition than when we started. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems and change always comes.

As life evolves with the seasons, the world can be a cold place that chills us to the bone, and our hearts, if we let it. What we must remember is that the world keeps on spinning, changes continue to occur and after winter comes spring. So we can flee to warmer climates, chop our houses down and use them for firewood, or we can use every resource from thermal underwear to earmuffs to keep us warm until spring returns. Just remember, spring will return.

Happy New Year...Why Not

Spring and summer are my favorite times of year. When spring arrives, the sun invites us out to play by warming up nature, and colors seem to manifest from nowhere in the form of flowers and foliage.  It is like a new beginning of nature's cycle. Summer is like a celebration. Most people take vacations as a way of relaxation or exploration. It reminds me of my childhood when summer marked the end of a school year and the beginning of carefree living, limitless fun, and enumerable new experiences. It was also a time when many children experienced growth spurts or puberty.


Spring, for me is like the beginning of a love affair. You feel warm and fuzzy inside, everything is beautiful, and the excitement is in the potential of the pending blooms. Summer arrives and the love affair heats up and is in full bloom. Every sense is activated. The sun kisses your skin, sweet juicy fruits tantalize your palettes, the sound of children laughing and playing trigger memories, the smell of veggies (ok burgers) grilling wafts through your neighborhood, and the sight of crystal blue seas on your tropical vacation soothes your spirit.


Both of these seasons feel like the beginning of a new year for me when they arrive. I've often wondered why    a date during one of these seasons wasn't designated as the start of a new year. It's all pretty random the way we package up "time" into manageable containers. The Ethiopian calendar marks September 11 as the new year, and the Chinese calendar has a different date in January or February every year to celebrate a new year. January 1 never really feels like a new beginning to me. It's part of the "holiday season" coming right after Christmas/Hanukkah the year before and in the middle of Kwanzaa. The weather is pretty much the same as the year before. It just seems like more of the same.


Really, we can choose our own personal new year...and we can have more than one. We can choose any month, day, or minute to begin anew.  When we feel the most energized, joyful, or excited about ourselves or life, we can choose that moment to go forth and explore or create new opportunities to expand our knowledge, skills, consciousness, whatever appeals to us. Or, maybe we can choose that moment to become energized, joyful, or excited. When you catch yourself feeling like you're in a rut, perhaps it's time for a new year.  Feel fed up? No worries, the new year is here! It's never too late to make new discoveries, navigate new waters, or build new bridges. Life started a long time ago...but you can choose when to start living. Happy New Year! Peace and blessings.