Changes

From my kitchen window, I can see a huge maple tree over my neighbor’s roof and across the street. Around this time every year, I start looking (ok, squinting) to see if the tree’s outer leaves are starting to take on a hint of color. Last week I noticed that one branch had begun to shift from bright summer green to autumnal yellow. Ah, the seasonal changes.

Autumn bring loads of beautiful colors, scents, fruits, vegetables, and fun holidays and events. The temperature cools off, the humidity goes down, the air becomes crisp and refreshing. And as much as I truly enjoy all of those things– I can’t help but feel a little sad every year when the season changes from summer to fall.

Summer conjures up images of bright sunshine, carefree vacations, endless days of lounging by a pool. Backyard cookouts, staying up late, sleeping in, fun and games with friends. Autumn equals end of summer. And beyond that, autumn equals the slow procession towards winter.

I’m more of a spring and summer person. Those are the seasons where things blossom and flourish and grow and come alive. Autumn and winter are the times when things dwindle and die and go dormant for months. But even more than that, I think it’s more about the changes that happen.

Change is difficult. It requires us to somehow be different than we were before, and that can be hard. Especially if the changes happening aren’t ones we would have chosen– like divorce, job loss, death of a loved one, or health problems. But even when those unexpected changes happen to us, there’s some comfort in knowing that everyone experiences change. It’s part of being human. It can also be helpful to remember that things are guaranteed to change again, so you won’t be stuck in this particular ‘change’ for very long.

If you find yourself in the midst of life changes and you’re having trouble managing, music therapy might be helpful to you. Feel free to contact me anytime. I’m always happy to answer questions!