Thank you.

What's your favorite season?

...A question you often hear being asked several times in life along with, "What's your favorite color?" or "What's your favorite animal?". Although elementary, they are basic facts that can get conversations started.

I really find some sort of joy in any weather, but at the same time it is also easy to find something wrong with each situation. "It's too hot out". "I can't do ___ because it's raining." "I'm freezing."

We've experienced a recent transition from summer to fall with no warning except for the dates on the calendar; no one expected something so swift. I've recently thought about my answer to the aforementioned question and it's often been "fall" or "spring" because they have the reputations of being neither extreme of "too hot" or "too cold". However, I've discovered in the past year or so that my favorite time of year is about 3 months, but they are not consecutive. I'd say my favorite "season" is a little of all of them: the first few weeks of every new season. By the end of each, I am ready for the next to begin.

This tends to be a trend in other areas of my life, such as work and school. Come May, I am prepared to work full time and keep my mind away from the stress and pressure that exams and constant studying brings. But by the end of August, I'm refreshed and excited to get away from the workplace for a little refuge, buried inside of my books.

I have a strong feeling many are nodding in agreement to what I have said. (Maybe not, I know some people who really really hate being cold, haha). Why does this happen?
We like new and refreshing. It shakes things up, makes life a little more exciting for a short while. This is just temporary, though. When it's three months into being snowed in and three weeks of being smothered with assignments, high spirits seem to spiral back down to their stagnant state.

Fall, summer, winter, spring, school, and work are not the things that change. For the most part fall involves cooling down and colorful leaves. Winter brings frost-bitten cars and toes and snowy mounds on the sides of the streets.
Instead, my feelings and attitude are what change. Do you ever think this carries over to other aspects of our lives?


Take people in our lives, for example. We begin with passion and appreciation.
Unfortunately, over time, we stop recognizing how great they are.

"I love this weather! I'm excited to wear my hoodies and go to the apple orchard!"
Give it time. In a month from now many will be complaining. They'll lose sight of the scarfs and the cider...

Many people get bored of relationships(friend and romantic) for many reasons. As time passes, it becomes habit. Aspects become routine. We have expectations of how things will be and we tuck ourselves snugly in to bed and turn out the light.
We say nothing. We get annoyed that they called and woke us up. We push a little. And we fall back asleep. Wake-up. Rinse. Repeat.

Is it because the situation you're in now has lost its value or is it because it's lost its appeal because we're used to it? 9 times out of 10, it's the latter, and that's no one's fault but our own. We take advantage of the great things in front of us. We lose sight of the parts that make us happy and decide to only notice the faults.

I guess I'm not sure where to wind this up, but it's just something to keep in mind when feeling like we're tired with what we have. Or just as bad, we don't even notice what we have. We should never settle for less or be content with the way things are (always room for improvement), but that also doesn't mean we shouldn't appreciate the moment and the person.
Everyone gets bogged down constantly. We need to start giving recognition to the people in our lives who offer us their time and friendship. That's important and invaluable.
Sure, you might get annoyed and frustrated at times. But that cannot replace the value of the greatness that that person has. Summer may get hot but remember how excited you were to have the opportunity to jump into that lake for the first time of the season? You missed it when it was winter but in August you didn't care anymore. You wanted fall instead.

It's our fault for bestowing so much complacency and even complaint in our relationships and life in general. Lift up the positive and search out the great. It's always there. You just have to notice it.

Take this moment to think about someone in your life who has excited you, inspired you, helped you...no matter how long ago and no matter where your relationship stands. Find a way to let them know you appreciate them after all this time. A card. An email. Take a break from busy schedules and lives, from the everyday rush 24-7 go go go and just stop.

And say thank you.