A Change of Season

/ Ann Coleman

I don’t think I would ever want to live in a climate that didn’t have four distinct seasons.  As much as I complain about the heat and humidity of July and the icy-cold days of January, I know that each season brings some good things that I’m not willing to give up.  Few things beat the beauty of a brand-new snow fall, and there’s nothing as refreshing as jumping into a swimming pool on a hot summer day.  I love the colorful beauty of the leaves in Autumn, and the way the first spring flowers bring hope for longer and warmer days ahead.

IMG_2677Fall has come a bit late to my corner of the world this year, but it has finally arrived.  And that means I’m spending time trimming back some bushes, storing away the pots that I use for my annual flowers, and washing my windows one last time before the temperatures plummet.  Inside, I’m doing some hard-core house cleaning in preparation for the Christmas decorations I know I’ll be putting up next month.

For me, there’s something soothing about the rhythm of the seasons and the special traditions that each one brings.  The changing seasons provide a sense of order to my year, because I am definitely one of those people who likes to know what is going to happen next and I know what to expect from each new season.

This year, the change of season has been especially significant because I seem to be at a point in my life when so many things are changing in ways that I can’t control.  Friends who move away, co-workers who retire, minor health issues, shifting family dynamics, even our bizarre political climate….all make we wonder just exactly what the future is going to bring.  Luckily, many of the changes around me are positive, but all will impact my life in ways that I can’t begin to predict.

IMG_2612My daughter is expecting our first grandchild in early January, and with each passing week, what was once only an abstract joy has become that much more real.  Seeing her opening gifts at her baby showers, surrounded by family and friends who have turned out to offer their love and support is both comforting and humbling.  I still have no idea just exactly what being a grandparent will mean, but I’m anxious to find out.

I think I will always be just a little bit intimated by change, even when it’s a change I’m looking forward to very much.  And that’s okay, because it’s just who I am. But one thing I know is that each new season in my life, just like each new season of the year, will bring not only change, but also the possibility of some amazingly good gifts…..

76 thoughts on “A Change of Season”

  4. I like three seasons. Snow & ice I could do without. And I have!
    Congrats on the new grandchild coming your way. It will change your life forever!

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    • Actually, I basically only enjoy winter through the month of December. After New Year’s Day, I’m ready for spring. Sadly, I can’t find a place that has a one-month winter, so I have to put up with two months I would rather live without. And thanks for the good wishes! I am really looking forward to being a grandparent!

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  5. Oh just you wait!!!! Just moments ago, I received a snapchat video of my first grandbaby taking her first steps! Her mommy is shrieking with delight. My heart is so full. The joy is immeasurable.

    I too love the four seasons. In the summer, I can’t believe we have to bundle up to walk in the yard, and in the winter, I can’t believe we walk barefooted. Spring is so full of new life, and Fall is so colorful and beautiful and preparing us for respite.

    xo

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  6. I love being a Texan, but our seasons go from hot, to hotter, to hottest, and then cool for a month or so. Growing up in NC, some of my fave childhood memories come from playing in the snow. My heart feels the change in seasons, even though they are difficult to see. I drove through the hill country today, and I spotted a tree standing amid all the other trees, but it’s leaves were bright yellow, as if it were saying, “I know what season it its!” My heart soared. Congratulations on becoming a Nana. xx

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    • I love the way you say your heart feels the seasons, even if the temperature doesn’t reflect them! If I had to pick year-round weather, I’d go with warm, but I do like the changes. Maybe we both do because we were raised with four seasons? I wonder if people who were born and raised in climates that didn’t change much yearn for different seasons, or are content with the climate they are used to?
      And thanks! I’m thrilled to be a “grandma-to-be!”

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  8. Congratulations on the grand baby. I wish I could say that I love the change of seasons, well I blame it on being from the warmer climes. But there is something about knowing whats coming next and thinking you could be prepared for it, even though it does not always work out that way.

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    • Yes, I kind of like the traditions that are associated with getting ready for each new season. But I admit that although I like experiencing four seasons, I do wish that winter was shorter than the other three. It is by far my least favorite.

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  13. I miss the 4 seasons so much: here in the tropics of Australia we only have ‘hot n humid’ or ‘warm n humid but cold at night’.

    And that is a BIG transition, to being a grandparent, congratulations! My son is only 17, so I hope I’ve got at least another 10 years or so… G

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    • Trust me, the time will go by quicker than you think. It seems like only yesterday I was bringing my daughter home from the hospital, and if all goes well, she’ll be bringing her baby home in just a couple of months. It is mind-boggling!
      And as much as I love our four seasons, I have to admit that in the middle of winter, the idea of living somewhere warm year round sounds pretty good….

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  17. I think having a grandchild would start another new and exciting chapter to life. I grew up with 4 very distinct seasons. Here on the Gulf Coast the changes are subtle, but after 25 years I finally can appreciate the differences.

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    • That’s a good point: just because a particular area doesn’t get extreme cold (or heat) doesn’t mean there aren’t actually changing seasons. I suppose they are just marked differently, and good for you for learning to recognize the signs!

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  19. I’m in high school and everyone talks about moving to another state with better weather, but I don’t think I could ever leave my beautiful home state of Ohio. You described the best parts of every season perfectly, for me though fall is my favorite season because I love all the different colors in the trees and all the fall festivities such as carving pumpkins and going to the pumpkin patch. Thanks for a good read!

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  20. I used to think I would love to live in a place with no change in the seasons (preferably in a warm tropical country), but have come to realize lately that this isn’t true anymore. Every season has its good and its bad sides and learning to live with them both is just one more step in learning to live at peace with yourself and your environment. Have a happy autumn, Ann! 😄🍁🍂

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    • Me, too! I used to think I’d love to live in Florida (except for two weeks at Christmas, when I want to see a little snow), but now I realize that I would miss the seasons too much. It’s just the natural climate where I live, and as you say, has much to offer.
      If I could do whatever I wanted to, I think I would simply spend the month of January in Florida, or somewhere else warm. That’s the only month when I get sick of Winter, probably because the days are so short and Spring is so far away…

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  21. Best wishes for your family and the soon-to-be addition. I live in the Midwest so we get every season in all of their glory. Hot humid summers, cold winters. Autumn is lovely but then comes the long bleak winter. I think I would miss the four distinct seasons if I moved somewhere warm but have never had the chance to test that theory out.
    We travelled just far enough south over the weekend so we could ditch our coats..that was the unexpected frosting on the cake of our trip

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    • I agree! Living with the four seasons is a good thing, but visiting somewhere warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer is also a good thing. I guess the trick is just to get a break now and then when the temps get too extreme. Thanks for the comment!

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  22. Like you, I can’t imagine living somewhere without the change of seasons. Autumn is my absolute favourite time of year. So excited for you as you embark on the journey of becoming a grandparent. It is truly a remarkable experience!

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  23. I enjoy the changing of seasons but sometimes when I’m walking around in shorts and a t-shirt, I think about how great it would be to have this kind of freedom all the time. That’s why I have shorts and a t-shirt on today. It’s in the low 60’s and I have a difficult time giving up summer. The contradiction is that I love so much about the fall, except that winter is right around the corner.
    I suppose it’s just Jan and Feb which are the worst and feel so long.
    But each new season brings a different kind of new life to our lives and as you will experience in January, new life can be amazing😊

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    • I agree! The thing about warmer temps is that it is so much easier to dress for it. No bundling up in layers and trying to find a lost glove. And while I do like having four seasons, winter is my least favorite and I wish it only lasted through the month of December. Once the holidays are over, I’m ready for Spring, more or less…..
      Still, I’m hoping that the gift this January will bring will make it easy to deal with the long, cold days! Nothing keeps you warm like holding a new baby!

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  25. Once again Ann, congratulations.
    My wife and I became grandparents
    six months ago, and it’s the most wonderful
    thing in the world.
    I also love the change of seasons. Especially summer.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Summer is also my favorite season. Warm (even hot) weather, but no allergies to deal with. And I can wear sandals all the time, too.
      I’m so happy for you and your wife….and can’t wait until I join the grandparent club!

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  26. I guess most of us living in the temperate climate region like the changing seasons. Not only are we being offered an infinite variety throughput the year, we also feel, as you pointed out, we connect the changes with the ups and downs in our lives. Congratulations on the joyful family event of having a grandchild very soon! More changes for sure …

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  27. I remember Christmas in AZ. I was very warm and dry and still it didn’t seems like the holidays without some snow! I need my changing seasons.. I love the changing seasons (just wish winter was shorter!).

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    • That is exactly how I feel! Winter is my least favorite month, so although I love fresh snow…few things are prettier than watching those big flakes come down…I would be just fine if winter only lasted a month. Preferably during December, when it sort of compliments Christmas. After that, I’m ready for Spring!

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  30. Many congratulations to you and your daughter, Ann. You know it’s true what they say, I’ve found, being a grandparent is far more enjoyable than being a parent — you get the best bits without the wearying downside. Great news!

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  31. You’re so right Ann. It seems like so much has changed this season, and so little of it is under our control.
    But, I’m hoping to take some of your perspective here and see this as opportunities for exciting new “adventures.”

    Congrats in advance on the new addition to your family! And for for a whole season free from having to clean the windows;)

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    • The change lately has been a bit overwhelming, hasn’t it? And as you say, so little of it is anything we can control, or even influence. So I try to focus on the good changes that I know are coming (and remind myself that I’ve never been in charge of the world, much to my great disgust….LOL!)
      And you’re right about winter: I get a pass on trying to keep the windows clean until Spring! Thanks for the comment, Gabe. It’s good to have you back!

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  32. Congratulations on becoming a grandmother in the near future. I hope to someday have that experience. I relate to the comfort you find in the change of the seasons. This rhythm of life seems more important to me now than ever it ever has been.

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