Seasons of Change

Autumn leaves fall like rain outside my window. Fierce winds strip the trees of their Autumn splendor, carpeting the lawn in rich colors of the season.  The colorful canopies are stripped bare, leaving naked branches reaching to the sky. Why must the seasons pass so quickly?

The little boys who once played in the leaves are now young men finding their way in the world. Special family members who guided our lives for decades now whisper to us from Heaven.

All is as it should be, and yet, a lingering sadness can consume me if I allow it. But I know wishing for times gone by is a futile waste of my thoughts and energy. I cherish my memories, and treasure all the wonderful joys a lifetime brings.

It helps to keep myself in this moment, enjoying the dance of the leaves as they are freed from their summer perch. I will go out and crunch through the fallen piles of summer’s glory, now crisp and crackly and heaped ankle deep in the woods.

Every season has its beauty, and each moment of life is meant to be savored. If we are to live and love and grow as we amble along life’s path, we must pause to let the beauty of living soak deeply into our lives.

So rushed are we that we miss the artistry of the ever changing sky. Sunrises and sunsets mark only the length of days when we rush by them. 

But if we linger, and soak up the colors and the promise of a glorious sunrise; or pause to watch the sun slowly sink into a breath-taking sunset, our spirit is blessed.

Life is meant to be savored. Beauty, and love; friendship, and reaching out to those in need, these are the food for our soul. We must nurture who we are from the inside out. And this includes enriching our lives with these soul-satisfying moments. They are just as important as nourishing food is for energizing our physical bodies.

Energizing our spirit, knowing true peace, pausing to breathe and being thankful for the gifts of beauty, love, and life itself, brings our focus into the moment. The world around is ever-changing. What remains as our constant is our connection to self.

Mindfulness and living in the moment help us to slow the pace, just a little, allowing  time to savor the delicate beauty that is life. We must be purposeful in searching out those moments that rest our thoughts, and calm our spirit.

Perhaps by adapting our lifestyles to mindfulness, we can slow the pace just a little bit, and capture the beauty of the seasons of our lives before they too quickly pass by.

If we offer a thankful heart when beauty touches our lives, we can, for that moment, slow down the passage of time.

Savor the moment, and capture the feeling. The peace will stay with you long after the moment has passed. And nestled deep in your spirit, it will help to heal the rush of life passing by too quickly, like the dizzying swirl of falling leaves.

All Good Things

The simple truth is that within each day there is beauty, and it is up to every one of us to find it.

It may be as simple as the robin outside my window, with its russet breast and bright yellow beak, or the butterfly that flutters by in search of sweet nectar.

As my garden grows with the blessing of the spring rains, I delight in each new budding flower. I know that soon shades of pink will cover the landscape, as that is my favorite flower color and I’ve certainly planted enough pink flowering plants.

Earlier today, as the fat robin watched, a bright red cardinal hopped along in the green grass looking for a snack. They are all good things, these little joys, and I find great delight in the simple beauty of the natural world.

Sometimes beauty touches my heart through the gift of friendship. When someone reaches out to me, or I share my heart with a friend, I feel like that connection is the reason we are here. When someone shows they have been thinking of me, or they let me know they have been praying for me, I feel humbled that I could matter that much to someone.

When I open up my heart and share my thoughts or fears, and the friend who hears me tells me they understand, I feel the love they send me and I know I am not alone. Each one of us deserves to know the love of friendship, but sometimes we must be the first one to reach out to someone else. Friendships grow as deep, personal connections are made.

I see beauty in the blue skies overhead. As white clouds drift by, I feel a sense of peacefulness, especially after the gray days and storms we’ve been having lately. The warmth of the sun on my skin causes me to pause and close my eyes. There is beauty in rest, too.

Good things come in all-sized packages. A bright red strawberry hiding amidst the green foliage is a bounty waiting to be picked. Chocolate of any kind is a welcome treat, at pretty much any time. 

Music and laughter are the harmonies of life, and each should be enjoyed in the experience of the moment.

Every day, take time to find the beauty that is waiting to be discovered. Our days go by at a hurried pace, but we must discipline ourselves to pause long enough to absorb the goodness that life has for us. We must direct our thoughts to find and appreciate the gifts of beauty that touch our lives.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” When we receive these gifts of beauty, we should pause and offer gratitude for the beauty that has touched our lives. These gifts of life are all good things, and are meant for us to savor.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights," James 1:17a (NIV)