Blooming Buds and the Gift of Seasons

Hey everyone, 

I hope you are all doing well! Like in my last blog, I want to thank everyone again for your beautiful comments and insights. I absolutely loved reading what you had to share, it makes this whole process of writing a blog so much more enjoyable! 

Since my last post, it has continued to rain quite a bit here, and I’m trying to enjoy it as much as possible. In a few months, when it's warmer, it won’t be raining as much and I know I’ll miss it. So, I’m trying to be in the moment and enjoy the coziness it brings. I’m also still enjoying seeing some snow on the mountains before it melts! During this transition from Winter to Spring, I really try to slow down and enjoy some of these things before they are gone.

I’m also quite excited about the sun setting later! One thing I love about the warmer months is going on evening walks. There is something so wonderful about being able to go out for a walk after dinner and there be some daylight left. It feels like a really special time, like there is a unique energy that’s different from earlier in the day. 

In the last two weeks, the days are also getting a bit longer, and I have really felt the shift in the seasons. Daylight savings pushed the clocks an hour ahead, the daylight remains for longer throughout the day, and some of the trees and bushes near my home are just starting to have little buds blooming. It’s so wonderful to notice these little changes that happen before spring fully arrives. I think they often go unnoticed, but they are so beautiful. I like to apply that way of thinking to things I'm dealing with in life. When we are in a period of growth or transition, we often yearn for the end result, but I think there can be so much beauty in those in between moments as well. That is where life happens. 

I have recently noticed that the more present and more connected I am with nature, the more strongly I feel the changing of the seasons. I feel much more sensitive to the shifts in the weather, and it makes things feel so restorative and new. For every year that goes by, I still do not tire from experiencing the changes that the new seasons bring. So for this time of year, the sun being up for a bit longer, the flowers and everything else in nature slowly starting to bloom, the temperature warming; it feels familiar and new all at the same time. 

I feel so blessed to live somewhere where we get all four seasons. It’s such a gift to experience each of them, and it keeps the whole year feeling special. Unfortunately, it can be easy to get disconnected from nature and the world in general. We can get caught up in the many daily stresses that life can bring, and we put our heads down moving through life never really looking around us. I have been there, and, to be frank, it’s miserable. The more of an effort I make to pause, and look at the beauty that nature brings, the more meaningful and special it makes life feel. If you don’t mind sharing, what’s one small thing you’ve noticed recently when you take the time to pause? For me, it’s how pretty the little budding leaves on a bush or tree can look before it fully blooms. Feel free to share what you’ve noticed in the comments below the blog! I love reading what you have to share. 

I know that for many people, Winter can bring a mental fog that feels relentless. Now that the sun is out for more of the day, and a new season is here, I hope you are all coming out of that fog and feeling a bit more uplifted and energized. But of course, remember to take care of yourself. Spring is only just beginning to show Herself, and the changing of seasons doesn’t happen overnight.

Have a wonderful week!

- Sarah