As a state, Maine takes pride in its change of seasons-- that we've got beaches and ski slopes, leaf peepers and well, okay, not a great spring, but plenty of wildlife! Obviously, most of us prefer the warmer months (we're only human), but when it comes down to it, we need change.
At heart, I'm a summer kid because I love the water and free time and the sun warms my attitude, but I'm also all for fall. I love the colors and the energy in the wind. It's exciting and nostalgic at the same time. Winter is beautiful if you can get outside to see it. The trees look so honest stripped and sillhouetted by snow. Spring takes a little more work to love, since it's often covered in winter's waste. But the fact that it works through the gray to push some color back in place amazes me.
Okay, so nothing new. We <3 nature!
Let me restate. We love nature when it's around (outside of) us, but how about when it manifests in ourselves? When we notice natural changes in or on our own bodies? Or even worse-- in those of other people? Think: body image issues. We're all probably pretty familiar with how often we shame ourselves and each other for things we have little to no control over: our looks, wrinkles, height, shape, etc. We're also pretty used to hearing why it's wrong.
Don't do it, right?
K good, that's settled.
But how about when nature manifest itself in us or others in ways less tangible. For example, we all know that we're supposed to appreciate wrinkles as the marks of experience. Well how about heartache? Isn't that a result of experience too? And don't forget depression, which can be linked to specific situations or not.
In my limited life experience (how many times can I use that word?), I've noticed that emotions, reactions, and behaviors are often judged pretty harshly. We (myself included) often view negative spectrum emotions as bad things to get rid of as quickly as possible, and when someone doesn't or can't flush them away, we assign blame to that person.
I realize I'm using very vague language. I haven't thought this through, but I'm typing it out anyways.
How about like this: when someone's down, we may try to cheer them up. If that doesn't work though, we put them down further by naming them a downer in our minds. Maybe we're afraid of catching the downer disease, I don't know.
But why is feeling sad or lonely so bad? Of course it's uncomfortable. But we need it. Discomfort reveals our true selves and can help give us the energy we need either to make or to take another change. For me, life is never so binary as to be all good or all bad. It's always a mix. Think yin and yang, push and pull, action and reaction. We need them for balance.
What if, just as we're being taught to appreciate the changes in our bodies, we saw the changes in our emotions as we do the earth cycles? Using our emotions like a compass, what if we vacationed to the four seasons inside, and really took them for what they are? (cheesy? yes, but who cares?)
As far as my mood, it changes in the wind. The "problem" with that tendency to change is that it convinces me completely. When I'm up, I'm up, and when I'm down, I'm low. I sometimes forget that summer won't stay forever and I sometimes think winter won't ever end. But what I'm saying is, if I can remember that there's always a change of seasons down the road, maybe I can welcome each one for what it is.
In addition to just discussing for the sake of it, this post is also a disclaimer. I'm saying this for your sake: in the future, if you're reading my blog, don't take me too seriously. If I'm going on about how great life is here, don't romanticize it. Just as if I'm negative, don't be alarmed. Todo llega en su momento. Everything comes together. And I'd like to be present at every step on the way.
That being said... I do try to blog when I'm in a good mood :)
Now have some nature pics. If you made it to the end, you earned it!
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