Every Season in Our Lives Has a Purpose

Whenever I go for walks I find myself being so in tuned with the weather each season brings. Although I live in sunny Los Angeles, I grew up experiencing the 4 seasons. It often reminds me that in our own lives, we too go through seasons. We all have our own internal winter, spring, summer and fall.

Each season signifies something important that is going on in the environment around us and in us. They signify some kind of growth and change and each season is beautiful in its own right.

Each season has a purpose

In autumn, you can appreciate the foliage and watch the trees shed and bear themselves. Then, the cleansing power of winter comes and brings with it it’s harshness which eventually turns into Spring. And finally, Spring the time of rebirth and hope transforms into summertime, where everything is lush and green.

The seasonal cycle is very similar to what happens in our own lives. We all have a time, like in fall, where we too have to shed aspects of ourselves and lay ourselves bare, like the trees. Sometimes, throughout and after that period of healing, internally, it can feel as harsh as winter, where we just need that time to rest and be still. And with that hibernation, we fuel ourselves with hope and transformation to come forth anew like the rebirth of spring. Then we continue to grow and become as lush as the summertime until in order to grow, even more, we once again need to shed parts of ourselves that are not beneficial.

“If we’re not growing then we are dying”

Each season prepares us for the next one

You can’t get to spring without going through winter. So too, you can't get to the next phase of your growth without going through what you're currently going through.

Trying to get to a place when you're not ready for it doesn't help you. You might be trying to push through because you're not able to stay in the present and learn the lessons you need to.

I think we all have experienced things in life that have built and shaped us. We may go through seasons of sadness and by living in the moment, it builds our resilience and reliance on Allah. Those experiences, or those seasons, prepare us for the next phase of our journey and only then are we able to successfully go forward.

No season lasts forever

You may be going through a time where you're learning and working on rebuilding yourself but you're not yet seeing the fruits of your labor.

Be patient with yourself.

It’s all a process - just like when a tiny seed is planted and the plant pushes through from the soil, or when a caterpillar emerges from its cocoon. Like the birthing process- it’s not easy. There’s usually pain and strife involved. Creating your best self and evolving to your highest potential takes time and energy. It's not something that happens overnight.

But just as every season comes to an end, so too will your struggle. A feeling of being okay will come and that will help you get to the next stage. So again, be patient, you will eventually emerge as a beautiful butterfly.

Learn to enjoy the season you are in

I want you to feel that it's okay to be in whatever season you’re in. You're not always going to be on this great high and on the flip side, you're not always going to be feeling a lot of sadness.

Honour your journey. Honour the season that you're in. If you're in a challenging season, know that it's growing you and shaping you to become someone better.

If you’re in your rest period, then take it as a time for reflection and gratitude. Consider it a blessing to be given a period of acceptance and for healing yourself.

By going through these seasons, it means that you’re being given the opportunity for transformation. So embrace the seasons, embrace the cycle, embrace the process of your growth.

I hope you found my reflections beneficial and I'd love to hear your thoughts. What season are you going through right now? And what are you learning from it?