Seasons
Embracing Seasons over Having It All at Once.
Seasons. Perhaps it’s because I’m in motherhood that this theme has taken on new significance in my life, but it’s truly something I’ve had to ponder and navigate. Even before having my child, I wrestled with the idea of seasons, so it’s certainly a concept that touches all stages of life. Before my daughter, I supported my husband through the early stages of his career and schooling. As things slowly shifted, I was able to prioritize my own direction, starting school while my husband took on the role of fully supporting us.
“We’ve taken turns allowing the other to flourish.”
We’ve taken turns allowing the other to flourish. I liken it to driving a car—one of us takes the wheel while the other is the passenger, and we switch when the other is tired. Sometimes, we pull over and just enjoy "being," without anyone driving. But when one is driving, the other can fully focus on their journey while trusting the other to handle the reins. Yet, we’re both moving forward together. I appreciate this shared journey because if we were both driving full force in our own careers or pursuits, it would feel like we were in separate cars, in our own worlds. Instead, by taking turns driving the same car, we remain fully engaged in each other’s lives.
“When it’s my turn to pursue something more fully, he will reciprocate. That mutual understanding makes it easier to slow down now.”
When my husband is focused on his career and I step back, that step allows me to engage with him on his path. The same happens when he steps back to support me—I know he’s fully present in my world. This isn’t to say we can’t pursue our own journeys simultaneously in small ways, but I’m talking about significant shifts. For example, as my husband is pursuing a higher degree while working, I’ve had to take some things off my plate or slow down to prioritize his journey. Doing so allows me to make space for him to do it well, knowing that things will shift again when his season changes. When it’s my turn to pursue something more fully, he will reciprocate. That mutual understanding makes it easier to slow down now.
Since becoming a mother, the concept of seasons has become even more evident, though I still remind myself of its importance. The idea of taking turns remains true, even now. In motherhood, there’s an expectation to do it all—manage a household, raise a family, build a career, and juggle all the responsibilities that come with it. But if I’ve learned anything from how my husband and I have navigated life together, it’s that there are seasons for everything.
Right now, my daughter is very young, and I remind myself that this is just a season. I’m not pursuing my own ambitions at full speed because, in this season, she needs more of me and I want to enjoy this season with her. I still pursue my goals, but only where they fit within the boundaries of this time. I know there will be a season when I can pursue my ambitions with more intensity.
“We live in a society that tells us we need to have it all right now, all at once. But what if we embraced the idea of seasons instead? “
We live in a society that tells us we need to have it all right now, all at once. But what if we embraced the idea of seasons instead? Trying to have everything at the same time often means something suffers, and we end up overwhelmed, unable to truly enjoy even one thing. Right now, I’m in the season of littles, and I want to soak it up because, before we know it, seasons change. When my daughter is older, I know I’ll be able to pursue things at a faster pace because I’ll have entered a new season. Why do we feel the need to have it all right now? I’d much rather spread out my enjoyment and fully experience each season as it comes.
I think Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says it best, A Time for Everything: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep..."
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