My Seasons of Change
As we near the end of the year, I am realizing how fast time is going by. It’s remarkable how quickly things can change, from the leaves on the trees to my toddler’s nap schedule. This truly feels like one of those seasons of change, both in nature and in life. I know change is good. It’s scary and exciting all at the same time. Moreover, it brings hope and something new. Now, more than ever, after having our daughter, I find myself clinging to traditions and routines (whatever that means these days) and craving closeness with loved ones.
Watching the Seasons Shift
There’s something about watching the seasons shift that feels different now. The crispness in the air, the golden light that lingers just a little shorter each day, all seem to mirror the seasons of change happening in our home. My daughter is growing faster than I can process. Her tiny hands are exploring everything. Her laughter fills all our days. Sixteen months ago, I couldn’t imagine how motherhood would stretch me. It’s expanded my patience, my heart, my perspective, and more.
Even our dog is showing signs of time’s gentle touch. There’s a little more grey around his muzzle. He is a little slower to get up after a nap. There’s something tender about watching them grow up together, my baby and my old friend. Each is marking time in their own ways.
Finding Meaning in Familiar Traditions
Becoming a mom has made me more aware of how fleeting everything is. The seasons come and go. The leaves fall and return, but each year they’re just a little different. The same is true of our lives. Traditions that once felt routine now have more meaning. Decorating the tree together and sipping hot cocoa while we check out the Christmas lights have become significant. Gathering to enjoy a family staple meal, they’ve become small anchors in the middle of all this beautiful chaos.
Shifting Family Traditions and Holding Onto Legacy
Our own holiday traditions have shifted so much over the past few years. After moving across the country, the holidays started to look a little different. Time spent with my family was made a bit more challenging. Ever since my grandma passed, the heart of our family gatherings has changed too. She was the one who pulled everyone together. Her house was where the holidays happened. Now, it’s my husband’s grandma who holds that role for his side of the family. While we still gather around her table, I can’t help but feel the weight of time and wonder how long that will last.
As we start building our own traditions with our daughter, I think about the legacy I want her to grow up with. It should be one rooted in love, connection, and togetherness. I want her to look back and remember laughter filling our home. I hope she’ll recall Christmas music playing on our record player while we decorate the tree and the feeling of happiness. But it’s not always easy. Everyone’s busy, scattered, and pulled in different directions. Life has a way of pushing out the simple things that matter most. Still, I’m learning that it’s worth fighting for; to slow down, to gather, to keep showing up, even when it takes effort.
A Gentle Reminder to Slow Down
And maybe that’s what this season of change is reminding me, and all of us, to do. We need to slow down. To look up from our to-do lists and calendars and remember that life is happening right now. It’s in the small, ordinary moments. We’re all busy, pulled in a million directions. However, these are the days we’ll look back on and wish we could return to. So, let’s linger a little longer at the table. Let’s put the phone down, soak in the laughter, and be present before it all rushes by.
Finding Beauty in the In-Between
Change used to make me anxious, the idea of time slipping away… of things not staying the same. But now, I see that change also brings growth. It’s in the way my daughter’s laughter echoes through the house. It’s in the quiet moments at night when I rock her to sleep. It’s in the simple joy of sharing a meal with loved ones. Through these seasons of change, I’m learning that we’re still here, still growing, still finding beauty in the in-between.
As we head into another season, both in weather and in life, I want to hold onto these moments. The messy, imperfect, heart-full ones. Because they’re proof that even as everything changes, there’s still so much to be grateful for.
A Moment for You
What about you, what traditions or small moments are you holding onto this season? I’d love to hear how you’re slowing down and savoring this time of year. If this season has you reflecting too, you’re not alone. Let’s be the reminder for each other to slow down, to gather, and to hold on to what really matters.
Here’s to thriving in the chaos, embracing the change, and building tiny habits that make each season a little lighter.
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