Seasons

Fall is my favorite time of year—I love everything about it--pumpkins, the colorful leaves, Halloween, the crispness in the air—all of it. Lately, I have been spending time sitting on my patio and just enjoying the changing colors of the trees and landscape.

I often have my morning (and evening) coffee out there and it gives me time to slow down and think about my day while surrounded by the beauty of the season. Seasons are something that I have been thinking about a lot lately—specifically, life’s seasons. I’m old enough to know with certainty that life really does unfold that way—not all at one time but instead, in time pockets or periods. We live day to day, week to week and year to year but we often fail to see that it all eventually changes and ultimately, it ends.

There is an old saying that “every storm runs out of thunder” and it can be very helpful when experiencing a difficult patch in life. But, even in times that are not stressful or trying, keeping in mind that this too will eventually end is something that needs to be acknowledged and sometimes mourned.

When I look back at different periods of my life, I try to recall how I felt during that time. Was I happy? Was I content? Or was I nervous and uncertain? I also question whether I gave my best effort at the time. Did I leave anything on the table, or did I give it 100 percent and then some? If I can truly answer to myself that I gave my all then I feel as though I met the season.

Making tough choices and deciding things that I never have before is all a part of real life. There really is no neat, pre-written manual to much in life—parenting, relating, working, retiring or caregiving. Much of it requires simply winging it and doing it in the ways that we saw our parents do it. But, as I move and hopefully grow through these seasons of life, am I taking the time to enjoy the ride?

Did I fully appreciate the trust that my design clients afforded me when they invited me into their homes and hired me to completely transform their living spaces?

Did I savor all of the moments spent with my two daughters when they were small reading bedtime stories, fixing their dolls, doing their hair or taking them to their piano or sports practices?

Do my students know how much I care about them and how hard I try to ensure that they are fully prepared for a career in the interior design industry?

Over my life, I have learned that seasons are fleeting. Life requires you to be ready to shift and get ready for the next one.

As I move into new seasons in my life, I try to stop, reflect and take some time to look at where I’m headed as well as where I’ve been. I love doing this on my patio most days, with falling leaves, colorful mums and a hot cup of coffee.

Patrice

Thank you for reading! I hope Seasons inspires you enjoy the Autumn foliage and to reflect on the ever-shifting times in your life.

To receive each new article from The Design Pose, visit www.patricemunden.com and subscribe for updates.