The leaves here in Nashville have gone from subtle shades of brown to bright bursts of red and orange. Being in this city in the fall is one gorgeous experience. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The crispness in the air, the glorious changing foliage, and the knowledge of the coming winter makes me want to be outside every minute.
It’s interesting to see how the new seasons bring changes in life. No matter how “stuck” I’ve felt in the past, I am starting to realize that nothing ever stays the same for long. This year has brought many changes in not only my outside circumstances, but in me as a person. It’s those everyday experiences, relationships and decisions that have shaped and changed me so much this year. It’s easy to say “I quit my job”, or “I’m back in school”, or, “we’re trying to start a family”, but it’s hard to put into words all the things that I have learned about myself, and the complex and important things that have happened in my marriage, my friendships, and my walk with God. Those types of things are too deep to explain.
As I look back at this year, and look forward to the Christmas season and the ringing in of 2010, there are many things I am grateful for, and many things I am still clueless about. I guess if my experiences this year have taught me anything, it’s to savor every single day for what it is, and don’t just go through the motions. We make our lives what we want them to be, through our small little daily activities- what we eat, how we spend our money, the people we spend time with, the work that we do, the creative endeavors to which we give ourselves.
I work with an older woman, helping her to organize her house and her stuff. One thing that I love about working with older people is that you get a sense of perspective. They have lived life, and seen more than you could ever imagine. One day we were going through her upstairs storage, and we found several boxes of the trips she had taken, with pictures and memorabilia. We had lugged most everything upstairs to the attic at that point, and I went to grab the boxes to take them up. She stopped me and said, “no, leave those down here- I like to look at them from time to time.”
Her husband had done quite well for himself, and I don’t think that she had to want for much throughout her life. In their younger years, she and her husband were part of the Nashville elite. One day I mentioned, “so you were pretty high society, huh? Must have been fun.” She looked me dead in the eyes and said “it was not fun at all.” I realized that no matter what earthly possessions she had, or what social circles she ran in, nothing was more important to her now than the people in her life and the moments she created with them. I’m grateful to have gained that perspective this year, and I hope that I can live into that knowledge every day.
Many blessings to you as your seasons change!
That sounds like such a cool opportunity- helping her organize her things. It’s always a fun experience to gain perspective from someone’s point of view that is entirely different of your own.
It’s funny how fall makes everybody so reflective. I’ve been feeling that way, too. Like with the change in season, I’m noticing more & more little changes in me. It’s pretty cool.
at times i think i have known what the old lady was saying… but i still need to hear this everyday. excited for where you guys are heading! excited to walk along side of you and matt. (or at least park).
Melissa, thanks for sharing that! I hope you truly enjoy this season and all of the little changes that you see happening. It’s great to know that we’re never really “stuck”.
Dave, we are so blessed to have you and Tammy in our lives! Thanks for parking near us, errr something like that.