To everything turn, turn, turn....I love the changing of the seasons. Well really I just love seasons - 4 of them please - the basic spring, summer, fall and winter. Here we seem to have spring for 4 weeks, summer for 6 months, fall for 4 weeks and something that passes for winter for 4 months...I need distinction. As in 4 distinct seasons, rather than hot, hot, and hotter :)
Which brings me to my thought for the day: Why do I crave seasonal changes in my life, but push back against other changes? By that I mean, changes in careers, friendships, hobbies, etc. It seems that I am a creature of habit to some extent, but am seeking new habits of raising my daughter, fostering new friendships, growing in my spirituality and taking on a new exercise hobby.
They say it takes 21 days for something to become a habit (some research offers varying lengths of time, but this is the most consistently touted). I suppose that can be applied to all areas of our lives. 21 days to get used to a new diet, 21 days to like a new exercise regime, 21 days to make daily quiet time a habit, etc.
So why is it then, that if it takes at least 21 days for something to become a part of our lives, that same something can oh-so-quickly depart from our lives in much less time? For example, when I get too busy, too tired, or too whatever, that 30 minute jog is one of the first things I'll toss aside even though it took me weeks to build up to that and I know the positive effects it has on both my body and my mind. Or the daily quiet time spent reading, meditating, journaling, praying, whatever, can be pushed back when there's laundry to do, email to check, dishes to wash, diapers to change or dinner to make.
Why, when we know full well the positive benefits of doing something, do we "change seasons" and allow it to be cast aside? When something requires a little extra work or some discipline, those are the first to go. It's all about priorities in your life. Perhaps it's like that with some relationships too - the ones that are worth it and are deemed high-priority are the ones we work on and cultivate. The ones that maybe require 'too much' are the ones we let go of. Maybe it's all a part of the seasons - everyone and everything comes into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...
