Re-balance the Changing Seasons
BY KIMBERLY CARROLL, MA, LPCC, LADC
I gardened again this summer and fall. As we reached the end of September, our temperatures have rapidly dropped and it was this week that we largely lost most of the vegetables and fruits to the freezing temperatures. Cold temperatures may be killing the majority of crops, but winter is only a matter of perspective.
We brought in the rest of the hull of tomatoes, and also a few plants we hoped could be saved. Our vegetables we let overgrow for seed, can now be harvested; seeds can be taken out and dried; and the last of the lettuce and kale are still hanging on out there. There is still work to be done yet. There are sauces to be made and enjoyed. Plans to be followed up. One thing is inevitable now, the seasons are changing.
It is in this weather that I see on our social media that people are beginning to show discomfort and loneliness, fearing the darkness of the winter that comes here to Minnesota quickly. Our cloud coverage can be admittedly daunting in the weeks ahead. It is the changing of the seasons again where I find it to be a good time to take hold of a new hobby, versus closing doors off from the chilly winds. Find hope and engagement versus what appears to be the easier thing to do,… hiding in a cozy blanket alone and away from the winds. This coming season, it is time to ask yourself, what are you doing today to prepare for the best you in the months ahead? How many winter seasons have you stayed the same, and gotten a similar outcome? Are you doing enough; and could you get outside your comfort zone this season? Winters are some of our best times to gather, when the world is less busy, we have time to assemble, eat with our friends, learn small trades tell stories and laugh, the things that can bring us closer to humanity, and the thing that can drive away depression in the cold, icy months. It’s time for a seasonal resolution with the changing of seasons and to a make a mindful choice this year to make this winter different. If you take Vitamin D and K supplements, now is the time to begin again (after consulting with a physician of course), and get to signing up, reaching out or doing what you have put off.
