Changing with the seasons
“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future. The past is closed and limited; the future is open and free.” ~Deepak Chopra
Change isn’t easy. I was thinking about this yesterday while cleaning and organizing my closets for the fall season. Change is hard for all of us because some of the things we keep (or cling to) aren’t necessarily bad things. And I’m still in favor of saving a few treasures for sentimental reasons.
Seasonal closet cleaning is an apt metaphor for all kinds of change. Some of the clothing I’ve owned for years no longer fits my body or my lifestyle, for instance, and therefore doesn’t serve its original purpose. That means it’s time to make room for new and better things — or to enjoy a less cluttered space. I need to apply this lesson to a few of my old routines and habits as I approach the new season ahead. How about you? ~CL
Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
