..of Seasons, Baby Steps, and Giant Leaps..

Seasons are never just the Seasons of the year, Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Seasons also encompass a time frame in our life. Could be a short season, could be an enendingly long season, or something in-between.

For me the mid to late Summer is an especially hard ‘season’. Not only does it hold my beautiful girl’s birthday, but it also holds the anniversaries of her accident and death. September 1st never seems to come fast enough, and then when it does I breathe the inevitable sigh of relief.

I worked very hard this year to look for and seek out those little things that bring a moment of joy. I wanted to more honor her memory and her life, rather than slip into, then stay in sadness or depression. She kept no room for sadness or depression, and I really, really wanted to be more like her this year.

I found beauty in butterflies, in finding plants, snakes and lizards with my daughter, in time with and encouraging my son.

And in the recent return at and near my workplace of the blond colored squirrel, the handsome Canadian geese family, the stately great blue heron, and the somewhat skittish green heron. Even in the water snake who looked enough like a copperhead to startle me momentarily.

And now, in my own personal life and home I am looking for the beauty and joy in the coming of a new season.

I have rarely been comfortable with change, particularly with big changes, and especially with changes that effect more than one area of my life.

And these changes are the beginning of a full on new season. Not the baby steps I am most comfortable with, but more of a really uncomfortable giant leap or three.

But as this change is now pretty much at my doorstep, I am choosing to flow with the changes. To embrace what the loss of what once felt secure will now allow.. for bigger and more amazing blessings. That will lead towards the ability to so beautifully effect hope and peace in the lives of others.

I choose to embrace this new season as an adventure. An adventure with much good. An adventure full of meaning and purpose. And adventure holding and extending hope and joy.

An adventure with its own many moments of beauty and awe. And that kind of an adventure is so very worth the journey.

I really look forward to sharing parts of this journey over the next few years with you.

And I so wish this coming Season bring each of you your own moments of beauty, peace and joy!!!