It’s already the beginning of September and I am feeling the joy and peace of sitting on my porch. Soon Virginia will experience the cool, crisp air of fall. I am thinking about the seasons to come.
It’s amazing how God created such beauty for us to enjoy here in this life. Like the seasons on this gorgeous Earth, we go through them in our lives too. If we can think of it all as magnificent and for our highest good, then our present circumstances are celebrated each day.
Can we really think of the lows in life as magnificent?
Yes, I believe we can. The lows show us our strength and resilience. They teach us lessons for our souls to grow. There is always something positive, even in the hardest of times in life.
“The lows show us our strength and resilience. They teach us lessons for our souls to grow. There is always something positive, even in the hardest of times in life.”
Kathryn Baskette
My School Experience
Middle School
In middle school, I went through a depression because I had to switch schools. The transition for me, was tough because I had to leave friends and classmates I knew from kindergarten.
I had to experience a new school, teachers, and classmates. Making new friends, was more challenging than I thought and though my best friend was in the new school, she was not in the same grade.
I pushed through 7th grade but was miserable.
In 8th grade, I stopped caring about grades or really anything. In the end, I failed the 8th grade because I was struggling mentally, physically, and emotionally.
I am so thankful for wonderful parents who supported me and took me to a counselor. I was able to conquer this period in my life.
School became a livable situation as God placed great teachers and friends on my path. Also, sports became a big deal for me as I played on teams. It taught me teamwork, gave me self-esteem, and joy.
High School
In high school, I decided to graduate with my original class. So, I put in the work and went to summer school for two summers in a row and a full load of high school classes during the regular school year. I was consistent, stuck with my goal, and graduated with my class.
My point is that I learned so many things at this age through this tough time. I learned my strength and being consistent each day with thoughts and actions that focused on my end goal. I learned to do things that bring me joy to create balance in my life. Also, if you seem stuck in a situation in life, it’s ok to go for help and figure it out.
Life is like the Seasons
Winter
Sometimes our seasons are cold like winter, and we need to hibernate, curl up with a good book or watch our favorite show. We need to warm our insides with hot tea, cocoa, or coffee and eat that dessert.
The rough times cause our souls to go within and focus on our heart and who we want to be. We may ask ourselves, “How can I change, or should I set boundaries for myself?”
The silver lining is that each situation allows us to grow and learn about ourselves. This shows us who we are, and in the end, we are grateful for the lessons learned.
Spring
When growth is starting to happen and we notice, it’s like the start of Spring. A new flower is pushing through the hard, freezing winter ground. It’s not always easy to go through growth and change, but with taking care of ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally we can conquer another life lesson.
The change comes from the consistency that stems from our new ways of Be-ing on the inside. Each day we take subtle steps and create new habits that cause a slight tilt towards our goal.
Summer
One day, we recognize that we are in full bloom. We may ask ourselves, “When did this happen?” We are on fire like the heat of the sun in summer. We greet the change with a smile as we experience our present circumstance to be more joyful and peaceful.
Why? We bloomed, we grew, and found the answers, the next steps, the ways to grow our soul, and become an even better human.
Fall
As the fall season of our life comes, we sit back and enjoy our friends and family. We are grateful for this present moment. We paint it into our mind as we celebrate the smells, tastes, feelings, and sounds of the atmosphere around us. We think about what we have learned, how we have grown. We ask ourselves, “How can I help someone else? How can I shine my light? What is God giving me that I can share?”
2 Responses
I wonder if others would tell their story in the same seasonal order. I love your images.
I would love to know as well! Now that I have gone through a few seasons on my journey, it’s easier to see which one I’m in. It gives me peace because I know things are always changing. The best is yet to come!