Some blooms have fully opened,

while others are still in metamorphosis.

Some have fallen back to earth,

wilted and soft,

reunited with the soil of Mother Earth to create whatever her soul craves next.

I feel most anchored when I’m surrounded by nature—especially in the deep wilderness, where I can disconnect from the material world and surrender to the Divine laws of nature. It holds such profound wisdom. I find it remarkable that the same ocean that feeds entire regions can, in its own nature, just as easily destroy those same shores. Vicious? Yes. But not targeted, not calculated. The ocean simply does as it is. It brings euphoria to surfers and solace to swimmers, yet that same wave, to even the strongest man, can take life away. The ocean isn’t forgiving. Yet it still holds immense power to heal.

What I love most about nature is the reminder that everything has a rhythm. Even the sun must set, even the dark has its own landscape, and even the sky needs a good cry to nourish the roots of Mother Earth. Seasons are embedded in nature, just as we must weather the seasons of our own emotions. Unlike nature, we know it’s Autumn because the leaves show us, and the crisp air greets us. That crisp air grows colder until Winter claims its time. The skies remain gray, a backdrop for rainclouds. But when the season of blooms arrives, my goodness, aren’t we grateful to return to Spring? And when Summer takes her throne, with vibrant skies and long days, we embrace her warmth—until we find ourselves back in the embrace of Fall.

What I love most about nature is what I love about people—their microscopic seasons, those tiny shifts in feelings that make us delicate and unique. I wonder, if we looked at ourselves as we do nature, would we be kinder to ourselves when it’s our Winter? It might not match up with the season outside, but maybe when we feel the need to withdraw from the world, we could see that somewhere in nature, bears are also retreating into hibernation. They know when it’s time to go within. What if we allowed ourselves that same permission?

Imagine watering the garden of your heart as Spring’s rains revive the earth. You might even shout and release all that has built up within, like a storm clearing the skies. When I was a child, I believed the sky was angry or grieving during thunder and lightning. But just as a rainbow follows a storm, I wonder if we sometimes miss our own rainbows after weathering turmoil.

And what about your Summer? Do you pause and celebrate the abundance surrounding you? Do you notice the hummingbirds dancing around your hibiscus? The crows standing guard? Do you listen to the symphony of nature’s calls? They’re all around you, at all times, reminding you that, just like a petal, you too will bloom. Remember, each day is a new beginning—a 24-hour cycle that renews again and again. Even the sun, in all her glory, must step away to let the night come out to play.

I invite you to consider: What season are you in right now? Is it a time of growth, of rest, of release, or of bloom? Take a moment to honor this season within you, knowing that, like nature, it’s all part of the beautiful, cyclical dance of life.

May you trust in your inner seasons, knowing that you, too, will bloom when the time is right. Just as the sun rises, and the tides flow, you are part of something greater—each moment a perfect part of your journey.