SEASONS

In celebration of Texas finally getting a taste of cold weather, I couldn’t help but reflect on the beauty of the seasons we’re lucky to experience year after year. Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring—each brings its own distinct memories, complete with unique flavors, scents, and sensations.

Summer takes me back to sunburns soothed with aloe, half-melted ice cream cones dripping down our hands, cars that still smell faintly of sunscreen, and those endless warm days that close with lazy, golden sunsets.

Fall sweeps in with red and orange leaves crunching underfoot, crisp air that plays with our hair, and the comforting embrace of cozy knit sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes warming our hands.

Winter blankets everything in frost or snow, with that satisfying crunch under our boots. It’s the season of chapped lips in need of balm, the warm glow of pine-scented candles, and streets twinkling with festive lights.

Spring arrives with fresh morning dew, pastel wildflowers begging to be picked, and birdsong floating in the air. It’s a time of renewal, when New Year’s resolutions find their second wind and nature itself feels like it’s waking up.

Each season is like a time capsule, holding memories we’ve gathered over the years. And much like the changing weather, our lives move through their own "seasons"—childhood, high school, college, and the mysterious adulting phase where we’re all figuring it out as we go. These life seasons carry their own vivid recollections: family trips, favorite meals, fleeting interests, or scents that transport us to a specific moment.

What I love most about seasons is how they remind us that change is inevitable. When life feels tough, this realization reassures me that nothing stays the same forever. Hard times will pass. And when things are good, it makes me savor the moment even more, knowing it’s precious and fleeting.

I’m grateful to look back on past "seasons" of my life with pride or humor, marveling at how far I’ve come. It’s exciting to think about the "seasons" yet to come—new jobs, homes, friendships, hobbies, pets, and relationships. Change is constant, and that’s such a freeing thought. It lifts the weight of the present and lets us focus on appreciating the now.

So, here’s to the seasons—both in nature and in life. Be thankful for the one you just left behind, cherish the one you’re in, and look forward to the one waiting ahead. Change is beautiful. Embrace it.