Another Trip Around the Sun

This past week, I celebrated another trip around the sun. It was a good day. Much time was spent on the phone with family around the country. I was reminded of how much I miss them, and how technology can bridge the distance. Reminded of our deep connection even across the miles.

This was a bit of a milestone birthday, the year that Medicare kicks in, and I keep joking it’s the best since I turned 21. Those who know me well, know that I’m on a mission to reduce “stuff” so the gifts I received were perfect for me – tea, and a candle, and a beautiful new journal.

And this year, it’s the weather I reflected on. Perhaps it’s because 65 is considered, by some, the point in which you become a “senior citizen.” Such an unflattering phrase, wouldn’t you agree? Nonetheless, it may be my winter season, and as a “winter citizen” I look forward to what this season may bring.

The weather was particularly moody this year, as it often is on my birthday. The overcast skies wash everything in muted tones, and a hush falls over the forest. While I’m not a fan of the snow, I do love the moodiness that this season brings, and I find that it pulls me in, in a good way, as long as I engage with it. That means making time for being in nature, opening up to her moodiness and absorbing her lessons.

On the surface, winter can look like an ending – trees devoid of leaves, wildlife seem to slow down and everything appears to be sleeping. But don’t let winter fool you. Nature’s seasons are not linear, they are cyclical. One season is just preparing for the next, and winter has just taken the activity underground to prepare for the burst of spring.

I must remind myself that winter is not an excuse to do nothing, and it doesn’t mean I have to stay inside all season. I always feel better when I get outside. Warm clothing, umbrellas and hats, rain boots, these all provide protection from anything nature throws at me.

Just like nature, I will also use this time to prepare for the new growth of spring. Releasing the clutter that is no longer useful, planning for my own growth through learning opportunities, or just quietly observing how the forest critters prepare are all part of the plan.

I am reminded of nature’s resilience. While damage may occur during the season’s storms, winter is a time of rest and renewal. And so, I also take time to be quiet, as I reflect and mend from a year of being human. I, too, am resilient.

Winter has so much to offer, so many lessons to teach us, if we will only listen. As we each make our own trips around the sun, we can look to nature to guide us in all her wisdom.