By: Kaydene Green
“Every season is one of becoming, but not always one of blooming. Be gracious with your ever-evolving self.” — B. Oakman
Summer officially began this past Tuesday, June 21, 2022. If you ask me, summer started at least three months ago, but I live in Florida, so that should explain that. Weather-wise, it is my least favorite time of year. Why? For obvious reasons. Have you stepped outside lately?
The sun beats down during the day like an undefeated champion in a boxing ring. The humidity at night; ungodly. My curls absolutely hate this weather. Not to mention me trying to wear a moisturizer that has some amount of sunscreen in it. A sight to see.
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The hellish season of summer is marked by the highest temperatures of the year which is the perfect environment for thunderstorms to form that brings along with them doses and doses of fatal lightning strikes. This alone inflates my anxiety whenever I’m outside trying to make it safely to my car under an overcast sky.
With the heat being the highest during this time of year, so is the misery of any amounts of time spent anywhere with no air-conditioning. Wouldn’t it be immensely convenient to circumvent the extreme heat of the summer by having a portable ac unit to walk around with at all times? Or to be able to have a remote control to turn down the temperature of the sun?
Let’s just say, I complain a lot during the summer. And for all of you with leather seats, I pray away those third degree burns awaiting you after you sit in that car that has sat in the sun for ANY period of time.
Though this blog post is not about how to survive the summer, I’d like to provide some helpful tips when outside temperatures are exaggerated enough to cause heat advisories: stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed.
So what makes a season, a season?
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National geographic defines a season as “a period of the year that is distinguished by special climate conditions. The four seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—follow one another regularly. Each has its own light, temperature, and weather patterns that repeat yearly.”
Why do we need seasons?
So all seasons serve their own purpose under their unique conditions, but let’s backtrack for a second; “seasons are distinguished by special climate conditions“. “Climate features also include windiness, humidity, cloud cover, atmospheric pressure, and fogginess.” In the summer, plants grow quickly because of the season’s warmth and abundance of sunlight.
How ironic? The season I hate the most has the best conditions for what I understood to be optimal plant growth.
Is it safe to say that we can draw from the seasons of the year a few life lessons on how to perceive, with intention, the very seasons of our own life?
Biblical Reference
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The book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, (excerpt below), presents the theme “a time for everything“. The literal and figurative representations the text provides is a list of seasons we; as human beings; may face at some point on our journey in this thing called life:
A Time for Everything
1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
There are 28 different seasons mentioned. All of which does not appear to last forever but has a recurring opportunity.
As for me, life has served me up at least four of those seasons so far this year, and while some of them bring me an immense amount of joy, others certainly did not. “Character building moments” is what a good friend of mine described them to be.
The summer season has consistent harsh and somewhat predictable weather patterns; blue sunny sky by morning followed by extremely hot days along with afternoon storms. If I choose to set aside my complains about the heat, the heavy blanket of humidity and frightening afternoon thunderstorms, and navigate those nuisances by making small adjustments like staying hydrated, using the sunshade in my car to keep the internal temperature reduced,
walking with an umbrella or a raincoat and wearing rain boots to prevent my feet from getting soaked or just as simple as running errands earlier in the day to avoid getting caught in torrential afternoon downpours while embracing the benefit the weather has on vegetation, (and maybe my vitamin D level), then maybe, just maybe, I would have much more to be grateful for and less to complain about.
How To Handle Difficult & Unfavorable Seasons
A ‘difficult season’ may be subjective. What may be a tough time for me could easily be smooth sailing for you, and vice versa. This is where sympathy and empathy for the circumstances of others become important.
If I simply applied the facts presented by the general nature of the summer season’s influence on vegetation, it would only make sense to conclude that when navigating a challenging season of life, it is critical to not focus wholly on the discomfort of the season. Yes, the heat & mucky humidity of the summer can be unbearable, and possibly so are the long drawn out sunny days; but choosing to redirect the mindset that the kind of growth the climate of this season is able to nurture and provide makes it one to appreciate.
Sure easier said than done, but not an impossible mindset to acquire. It is simple to focus on the discomfort and misery of any given moment, but if we tried to understand the potential positive climate conditions within it, would that make it easier to endure?
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So what season are you in right now? Is it a season of singleness? Could a love for self grow out of the climate of this season? Is it grief? Could you learn to appreciate every moment with loved ones more? Is it illness? Could you learn to nurture, understand, and appreciate good health? Or is it a season of happiness and abundance? Could you learn how to extend a hand to others who may be unhappy or lacking?
Do you believe there’s any good that lies dormant in your current unfavorable season? Can you dig deep enough to discover the positive change(s) that could arise within you at the end of it’s duration?
Seasons are great when things are tranquil, serene, and effortless, but if you understand how a car is able to move from point A to point B, then embracing the bumps and friction involved in the process may make your journey – though hard – a little easier and the load a lot lighter.
I cannot control the summertime thunderstorm patterns, but I can choose to utilize the tools to navigate how I get through the weather conditions better and to remember that the temperature and other conditions of the season are the perfect conditions for many plants to flourish. Most of which we need to survive.
With that in mind and my current season at hand, the question I ask myself is; what things are needed to grow and develop within me that only this season can aid in?
I believe the best season for the growth you need right now, is the one you are currently in.
Just like the marked varied importance of all seasons of the year, so too are the seasons of your life. I implore you to zone in on the areas that need the challenging conditions to cultivate and grow from them and seek further guidance if you are struggling to discover them.
GOAL: To take full advantage of the season you are in.
Until next time friend, take care and know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
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Last Updated: June 29, 2022
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