I don’t know about you, but I am thankful for the start of a new year. Not that 2014 was all bad, but it was a challenging year for me… make that two years.
We transferred to Seattle exactly two years ago this month. Honestly, it has been the hardest transition for me. During that first week, I doodled this little drawing on a coaster at our hotel. I found it a couple weeks ago, and it has brought me such comfort as I reflect over the good times and more challenging moments I have faced. Growth takes time. Truly.
We have had some amazing adventures here in the Pacific Northwest. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve had the privilege to live, but I also find myself in these deep, dark holes of depression that I can’t shake. Those moments suck the life out of me and stand in the way of everything. Super frustrating! This Debbie Downer takes over my mind. I dislike that girl. She is not me. Debbie has to go because the creative, joyful, vibrant woman I know that I am is desperate to be present here… now!
The seasons of life are a blessing. We learn from them. We grow from them. We are better for walking through darkness. We are more joyful and appreciative of the light. We adore spring because we have endured the winter season. What appears as a time of death is, in fact, a crucial time of growth that we must embrace if we hope to move forward. For me, the past two years seem to have been that season. A season for which I have not always been grateful for, but a season that was needed for roots to grow stronger. And, one I’m still learning from as I move into this new year.
This next season is the beginning of something incredible. I feel it in my bones! My skin is tingly with anticipation. I can’t help but smile for the potential ahead. This is my year. This is my spring. This is my time to blossom and bloom!
May you find joy and gratitude in whatever season this is for you. If it’s winter, just know that it’s not forever. The sun will shine again. The snow will melt. There is joy ahead! You are stronger already than you were yesterday. And, you are not alone.
xoxo Whitney
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