Life is full of seasons. Sometimes we are in the glorious summer and springs of our lives where everything is literally coming up roses. Sometimes, our day-to-day existence seems like one very long winter storm with 3 feet of snow on the ground and zero visibility.
For me, today is a winter storm, literally and figuratively.
Literally, because it’s mid-January as I write this and there really is a lot of snow on the ground – not 3 feet, more like 6 inches, but still the cold and white envelope me.
Figuratively, because I am in a transitional phase of my life. I turn 50 the end of this month and am contemplating some major life changes.
It’s funny how some people just endure winter, and others embrace it. Think about it. There are those who can’t stand the cold, the slush, the frost, the scraping, and the plowing. So much so in some cases, that they become what is commonly calledSnowbirds and spend the winter inwarmer climates like Arizona or Florida.
But then there areothers like my brother, who live for the winter months. He is an avid skier and actually takes a week long vacation just to go to Colorado and enjoy the snow. (I can’t fathom enjoying snow, but ah… to each his own.)
But, when winter comes to our hearts, it’s not always as easy to navigate.
According to Dr. Norman Rosenthal of Psychiatry MMC, 6% of the American populationsuffer from what’s known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is a mental health diagnosis for those whose reactions to the winter months are so severe they impede the quality of the individual’s life and, in some cases, depression sets in.
There are treatments for SAD like light therapy and trips to sunnier climates which have proven effective; but what does one do when the season affecting you is a life transition or unresolved grief?
There are many answers to that question, but for the sake of this discussion, let me offer just a few:
- If your winter season is due to grief and loss, then consider contacting me about the Grief Recovery Method. It is a fabulous, proven method, that will give you tools to complete the loss and to move toward a much greater sense of well-being. You can read more about The Grief Recovery Method here.
- If your winter season is due to a transitional time in your life, as it is with me, then give yourself time. Time to reflect and take stock of what’s really happening with youas well as time to ponder and pray. Ponder the deep truths of God’s word and see if you can discern what those promises and holy words of wisdom might speak to your present situation. And pray.Earnestly seek God for direction and understanding for your life. He created you with a specific life plan in mind, and He delights in showing us just what that plan is.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, today I want to thank-you for my readers and the relationship that we have. Most of the time I feel that I have something from you to offer them. But today, I thank-you that they offered me something – an opportunity to honestly write out my own feelings and share with them my imperfections. We all need that safe place to share our ups and downs. You created us for community – that deep sense of needing one another. Thank-you Lord for them and for the many different seasons that we find ourselves in. In Your Precious Name, Amen.