‘Hurry up, keep moving. What’s next?’ It can often feel that life is so fast paced that we forget to stop to take a breath, clear away our thoughts and worries, and remember to live in the present.
It is not enough, though, just to live in the present moment, but we need to really enjoy it. I am a big believer that there is always a positive side and something to appreciate and enjoy in every given situation…You just need to see it. The same goes for every season.
It is currently October and the store shelves are already filled with Christmas ornaments and decorations. Christmas advertisements are already playing on TV and radio. Some people have even already begun decorating and buying Christmas gifts. Although there is not necessarily something wrong with this, there are some things that may be lost as a result. I personally love the Christmas season and the joy and excitement that the preparations for it bring. However, what is lost is the excitement and appreciation for the joys that come from the fall season and its holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Each of the four seasons – winter, spring, summer and autumn – is beautifully unique, and there are so many wonderful things that each of them has to offer. The different temperatures and weather patterns of each season cause changes in plants, nature and the overall appearance of our environment, as well as what activities we take part in. Each season has activities that are accessible and enjoyable throughout that particular time of the year, adding to each season’s unique joy and beauty.
For those of us in the Northeast, winter lasts from late December to late March, and there are so many things to love about this season. For one thing, the snow alone brings so much excitement from having spontaneous snowball fights and building snowmen to sledding, skiing or ice skating. The fun never ends. Snow also brings so much beauty to this season when all of nature is sprinkled with the bright, white sparkles that cover everything in sight.
Although many people complain about the cold weather, there is no better feeling than warming up inside by a heater or fireplace with a tasty hot cocoa while wearing one of your favorite winter sweaters – just a few more things to love about this season. Of course, there is also Christmas! This is truly one of the most wonderful times of the year. Aside from the gifts, there is so much to appreciate about this holiday. Every family has different traditions and ways of preparing for this holiday, but whether they choose to buy and decorate their tree together or have a big family dinner, the important thing is that it brings families together, allowing people to spend quality time with their loved ones.
For us, spring begins in late March and ends in late June. There is so much beauty in the springtime as nature begins to grow all around you, causing the trees to become greener and the beautifully colored flowers to blossom. The sun also stays out longer in the spring, so the days last longer and it’s easier to get more accomplished each day. The spring weather is so beautiful as it’s not too hot or cold, and the sunshine is often accompanied with a nice cool breeze. This great weather also makes it a wonderful season to spend a lot of time doing outside activities, such as sports, bike-riding, walking or gardening. Easter also adds to the excitement of this season as families celebrate by dyeing and decorating eggs, filling Easter baskets with goodies or having Easter-egg hunts. This holiday celebration also brings families closer together.
Our summer lasts from late June to late September, and this tends to be a lot of people’s favorite season. It is also traditionally vacation time from school, and with that comes more freedom. The sun stays out even longer than in the spring, so the days last very long, allowing us to have full, productive days. The sun shines more strongly, making it the hottest season, and this calls for creamy, delicious ice-cream as well as beach, pool or lake days to cool down from the warm weather. Because of the beautiful sunshine, fruits and vegetables are fresh and delicious at this time as well. The warm weather also makes summer a great time to be outdoors and workout, go camping or travel, for example. Travelling is often people’s favorite part of the summer time since most of the Northeast hemisphere has beautiful weather, which makes for a great vacation. Travelling also provides the opportunity for people to try new and exciting things on their adventures.
Here, autumn, or fall, lasts from late September to late December. There is so much beauty in this season as the leaves change colors from green to red, yellow and brown and slowly begin to fall from their branches. The cooler weather after summer’s heat allows for a nice change to comfortable sweaters and boots. Apple picking is one very popular activity in this season that many people enjoy. Autumn, with its cooler weather, is also a great time to drink hot chocolates or pumpkin spice lattes again. Halloween is also filled with so many fun activities in this season, such as pumpkin picking and carvings, trick or treating and scary movie marathons with friends, just to name a few.
Instead of getting caught up in the fast pace of life, it is important to stop and take it all in – gaze at the sparkling snow that makes everything glow, smell the blooming flowers as you walk past the garden, feel the warmth of the sun upon your face as you sit on your patio, and hear the swirling sound of the changing leaves that fall before you. Appreciate it all. Sometimes we just need to remember to tell ourselves “Slow down. Take a breath. Clear your mind of your thoughts and worries. Take it all in and live in the present. Take it one breath, one moment, one day, one holiday, one season at a time.”