A Time for Spring

Perhaps there are seasons of the weather to remind us that we will go through different seasons of life. What do you like most about the spring season?

When I think of spring I think of the coming beauty. Sometimes beauty does not come over night. It can take weeks for the flowers to bloom. It can take weeks for life to change for the better. This does not mean everything is going to be beautiful along the way. Sometimes life gets messy. It is okay to be in messy or beautiful seasons. Occasionally you will have an overlap of the beauty and the mess. What you decide to do while you transition is what matters most.

When you hear phrases like “live in the moment” – what that really means is to be okay with where you are right now. No matter where you are, there is a reason you are here. Knowing when to move along versus when to stay is something that will often cross your mind. It is good to be comfortable, but it is equally good to push yourself out of your comfort zone and grow. Some changes we have no control over while other times we feel as though we have total control even though anything can happen at any point.

I am not sure about you, but I feel like I am swinging through life. I go back and forth, forwards and backwards, over and over again. I forget that I have the power to jump off of the swing at any time, and that I could fall off at any time. Sometimes the back and forth will happen in an hour, day, or week. I am trying to talk through these thoughts to help me see what other swings are around that I can switch to, but also figure out if staying on my swing is what is best.

Maybe you feel more like a spinning marry go round, or another playground piece of equipment. Maybe you can’t relate. Either is okay. Not every analogy will make sense to everyone. What you do with the enlightening that comes from the analogy is how you transition from one season to the next. It is best to make a move before you are forced to. One way to do that is checking in and reflecting as we are now about simple things like the change in season.

At some point, you have to decide to jump or ask a friend to hold your hand as you jump. Not every jump is going to have a soft landing. Some landings will help you move on to something that is so much better you will have wished that you jumped sooner. Everything works out in the time it is supposed to, but you also have to make moves. Do not wait for whatever is meant to happen to simply happen. Do something about where you are, figure out where you want to go, and make a plan to get there. It will take a little time. It may be uncomfortable for a time. But it will be worth the change even if it is a temporary change before you make another more permanent change.

Most importantly do not isolate yourself along the way. Talk to people as you go. You will find someone to hold you hand, give you a push or see beyond your swing as you chat with your people. Not every push will be gentle, but it will most likely be needed. Reflect on your journey as you go so that you can learn for the next season of transition or help a friend do what you have done.

*Yes I walked to a park to take a picture before the sunset once I thought of my swing analogy.

*Yes, I do really enjoy swinging when there are not puddles under the swings.

My hope and prayer is that you notice your pattern. Be in your season whether beautiful, messy or somewhere in between. Talk to the people who are closest to you as you figure out your next move. Believe in yourself to take in the jump in the right timing. Be honest in your reflections, and remember you already know what you need to do.

– Em