Thursday, September 20, 2007

Seasons

I had a bit of a sad moment on Friday night. We took the kids to see a motorbike stunts demonstration with live band etc in a large shed. It was rather loud and I'm not up to being out amongst people too much yet. After about an hour, I went out to the car to give myself a break from the noise, the smoke and the people.

I sat in the car and worked on my knitting. I'm so pleased I've taken it up as a hobby. It really is quite soothing. However, I must admit to feeling somewhat alarmed that I was sitting there knitting instead of being inside in amongst the action. I guess I associate knitting with the grandmother generation. I had a slight moment of panic and a few tears at what I was afraid I had become (ie old). After all, if wasn't that long ago that DH and I were in the midst of organising such events as these. I think I was about 7.5 months pregnant with DS3 for the last event we were overseeing (not exactly the same as this one but similar). DH found it quite interesting as people kept asking him questions about it in the lead up to the event and on the night as they assumed he was involved.

As I sat there knitting and pondering the turns that life has taken, a peace came over me. I returned to the thinking about seasons that I began back when I wrote my post One size does NOT fit all . I think right now I'm in a season of rest and reflection. Sometimes I want to fight against this season and move into a more "interesting"season. It doesn't work like that though. I think one of the many benefits of a simpler life, is accepting that life has ebbs and flows and to a point, flows better if we relax and move with those ebbs and flows.

Let's consider the seasons for a moment. We think of seasons as being weather related. Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. But they are more than simply a change in weather. They reflect seasons in life. Times of life and birth, happiness and heartache, death, dormancy, rest, hope, reflection, colour, vibrancy.... all of these words and many more may spring to mind.

You could relate these seasons to a day. During our "winter" season of the day we sleep then in the early morning (or not so early for some people lol) comes the spring. The hope of all that a new day brings. As the day progresses and the sun reaches it's peak, we have the warmest part of the day or the "summer". Then in those twilight hours (often accompanied by beautiful colours) we have the "autumn" and the winding down in preparation for another night of rest (winter).

I used to think that life was a nice straight line. You were born at one end of the line and when you died the line stopped. Now I'm wondering if life is more of a spiral. We move round and round through the seasons many times in our life. Perhaps not always in the same order and often varying in length. After all, the seasons in nature are constantly changing and bringing with them an element of surprise.

Being in a "winter" doesn't mean that the end is near. It's simply a time to rest and reflect. A time to recharge the batteries, to learn and to grow and be ready for the spring-time when it comes.

We need to be careful when we compare ourselves to others. Perhaps we aren't in the same "season" as them right now. What's right for one person won't necessarily be right for another. Perhaps it will be at another time. Perhaps it never will be.

Whatever season you're in right now. Take the time to enjoy all that that season brings to your life. There is richness and beauty and meaning in every season of life that we experience - if only we take the time to notice.

17 comments:

WendyC said...

Wow, Jodi, such wisdom in that post, It has blessed me today.

Unknown said...

you write with such depth and in such a thought inspiring way :)

p.s. I love the new found hobby of knitting too, it's relaxing for me ~ I am at times anxious and it certainly relaxes me!

gary said...

Thanks for this post. It's a helpful way of looking at things. Too often we presume that other people are in the same place as us, or in the same season - and life don't have to work like that.

Regards, Gary

emma.jean said...

Ditto to the above. :)

BTW, you're making me want to learn to knit - I saw a kit in Big W the other day for $20 but wasn't sure if I could really learn from a book?

Anonymous said...

Just discovered your blog recently. I really related to the challenges and fears of your simple living journal steps. I suppose after reading it I finally admitted to my own emotional breakdown that has been part of me for the last few years...the crying and inability to cope with any other person, very familiar to me. Funny thing though, I also decided I would start knitting and teach myself to make knitted dishclothes. I took it slowly and did it at night...and I too thought "i've aged and too young for this". However, something has happened and I have find it such a soothing thing to do and have decided to embrace it. Baby steps and gratitude for all the small pleasures of life. Knitting these dishclothes (with some mistakes and holes) has been a very zen-like experience.

lightening said...

Anonymous - do you have any kind of support at the moment? Are you talking to a GP or anything about how you've been feeling? I'm glad you've found an activity like knitting - it really is great. Thanks for reading and for your feedback. (((HUGS))) Hang in there and if you're not already seeing a professional - I would really encourage you to do so. :-)

lightening said...

Emma - have a bit of a browse online. There are quite a few sites that have step by step photo's to help you get started. The hardest part I find is casting on and off. You might find some needles in an op shop. $20 doesn't seem excessive to me but if you can do it for less, why not? Let me know if I can help at all.

lightening said...

Wendy, Ali and Gary - thanks for your feedback. Glad you enjoyed the post. :-)

Frogdancer said...

Beautiful writing, and so true. I think I'm in a hermit phase of my life at the moment.. happy with my knitting, vegie garden, kids and house. (Not necessarily in that order!) I'd happily sit in the car with you and knit!

Anonymous said...

i love how you put that Jodi. It's funny that some people never seem to work that out. I like your spiral analogy

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Oops, forgot to leave my name in last post. Hugs to you too!! I think it more helpful regarding the seasonal changes in our life as natural than seeing some-one...there seems to be an over-psychologising of human nature!! (speaking from previous experience as a psych.). Cheers to the changing of seasons! Michelle

lightening said...

Hi Michelle,
I think it's different for everyone. For me I've needed to come to an understanding of this season in my life in order to accept it and not fight it. But then I've also needed some professional help to deal with the physical issues and also past issues. I think it's what makes mental health so difficult - that we're all different. :-)

Anonymous said...

Yes, so true. I suppose it's like your post on "one size doesn't fit all". Communicating via the internet sometimes can result in misinterpretations, so I hope I haven't been misinterpreted or offended. Cheers again, and thanks for writing such inspiring posts :) Michelle

lightening said...

Not at all Michelle! :-)

lightening said...

Lisa - I think that's about where I'm at right now. Just enjoying being at home with all the "pottering" type things that can be enjoyed. I had a lovely afternoon with my 3 year old this afternoon just enjoying the sunshine. I read a book for a while as he played (and talked) then we sat out the front and ate oranges together. Then I did some knitting. I've never been happy to just *sit* like that in the past. It's nice.

Precious - don't have anything to say. Just saying hi cos I love using your nickname. :-)

Kez said...

Beautiful post J :)

Anonymous said...

Yes, I believe we all go through seasons in life too, and once we realize that, it makes it so much easier to cope with things! And God is so good - He knows which season we are in and just how much we can handle...

Blessings,

Joy