Transforming your Life

I was visiting a patient the other day and we got into a conversation about the fall which led to a conversation about transforming. How we are transforming each and every day. Today I am different than I was yesterday, and I will be different tomorrow. I’m a day older, and I think differently because of my experiences yesterday. I miss the summer and the leaves are falling from the trees. There are other things about us that are changing, transforming, and perhaps renewing us.

Reflection – Our human lives are linear—they move forward from birth until death. The years, however, go in a cycle with each repeating seasons and celebrations. When the seasons change for instance, as the fall approaches, do you feel transformed or renewing of yourself? How new and different are life experiences in a given year and can they change your perception of life year after year?

I have not thought of our lives being linear and a cycle before.  We do move from birth to death, yet I feel that we do live a cycle.  As we live the cycles of life much like the trees, the grass, and the flowers.  We have trials and tribulations in our life that change and transform us.  Hopefully the trials and tribulations will bring us closer to who we truly want to be and deepen our awareness of how life should be.

I think that the seasons are transformative and renew us.  Think about the fall and how the leaves change then they fall on the ground where the flowers have since died. It sounds pretty bland and dull.  Some of us look at it negatively; the beautiful colors of flowers are no longer.  Yet, I look at it as shedding things that I no longer want in my life.  That no longer gives me happiness.

Reason being, as we go through the different stages of our lives we find ourselves growing and learning.  The seasons help with this as we search for meaning within the trials of life.  As we go through the fall season we let go of the summer and move towards celebrating thanksgiving.   We learn during this time how to let go of our selfish ways so we can receive the graces of our renewed self.  We learn that we need to go through the suffering trusting our higher power and knowing that there is something better waiting for us.  We need to trust our higher power to show us the way.

I’m sure we have all heard about the happenings with Pope Francis.  Taking all the titles aside, Francis is a wonderful example who we can learn from and a great spiritual man.  He wants to share himself with us and celebrate us as we are all good people.  I believe we can all learn something from him as he himself has gone through many transformations.  He shares his faith in Christ with us and how his belief system renews him each day.  In a way he renews us by his sharing of himself.

I truly believe that as our perceptions change with the seasons of the year they are felt and heard by others around us.  The transformation and renewal is permeated throughout our community.  When this happens life is transformed for all.