Seasons Change

Having spent many years living in a place where seasons rarely change, I struggle when summer fades into fall. It happens before I'm ready and it stirs up sadness inside me. I don't want summer to end and yet fall in the Midwest is typically beautiful in many ways. Why the sadness then? I ask myself each year. The answer comes with a simple but true statement: Change is hard. Most of us admit this to be true in our lives, but some of us pretend it isn't so.

I admit that change is hard. Normally it is the change that is thrust upon us that bothers us most. When we instigate change in our own lives we are in control. Or at least we feel as though we are. So then it is safe to say that what we don't like about change is the feeling of not being in control. And what does all that have to do with changing seasons? Time moves on regardless of how we feel about it. And life in the Midwest of these United States certainly includes experiencing four very different seasons. They change as they will regardless of my inner-turmoil about it.

I'm looking outside right now and there are very few leaves left on my birch trees. The sky is cloudy and it is damp and dreary. But out back there is a full cord of firewood stacked and ready to be burned. Burning wood in my fireplace is the least eco-friendly thing that I willingly participate in. It makes me happy. It's one of the reasons that I appreciate fall weather. I then feel like I have control over my life again. Sure it's cold outside, but I am cozy and warm inside. For that I am grateful.

Last weekend I planted heirloom garlic and ripped out dead tomato plants. Change. Sigh. But at the same time it gave me that glimmer of hope for more seasonal change ahead. It's a beautiful thing, really. Spring is right around the proverbial corner - immediately following winter of course. That garlic will remain tucked in through the winter months and then, when it's slept long enough it will show itself along with the happy tulips. Happy tulips and happy garlic tucked below the surface of all the winter cold and gloom - just like me.

I'm happy I live in a place where seasons change. Now back to that simmering pot of shampoo on my stove (you thought I was about to say 'soup,' didn't you?).