Winter. A time for burrowing in while awaiting the burst of spring. A time to rest, reflect and spend time in more meaningful, less consuming ways.
That’s what I am trying to embrace now—a shift from the working world to a life where time is my own and fulfillment is self-directed. With unstructured days comes the realization that no new spring awaits. Instead of waiting, I focus on intentionally shaping the days ahead, making each one count in its own quiet, meaningful way.
Saying there is no spring ahead for me feels heavy, yet it shifts my perspective toward appreciating the present and discovering the wisdom my life has brought. While always rather proud of my ability to make sound decisions rooted in experience and intuition, this time of my life offers greater riches and insights than I could have imagined. At 30, if I thought of aging at all, I never suspected older age could be such a blessing.
Now, in the Autumn of my life, I can learn and practice honing my wisdom, slowing and reflecting on responses in order to make sound decisions. For me, this is based on a balanced consideration of different perspectives and long-term consequences to make more reasoned responses to life’s challenges.
Wisdom comes from experience and a deep understanding gained from lived experiences over time. It’s not just about age but about how those experiences have been reflected upon and integrated into one’s worldview. I see wisdom playing out of a strong sense of values and decisions, guided by principles that consider the well-being of self and others. It’s also a time of action toward some meaningful goal.
In essence, claiming to be a wise older person isn’t just about age or knowledge but about embodying these qualities in a way that enriches both personal life and relationships with others. So my Autumn years on these winter days are spent enjoying the peace of my home, the wisdom of friends, and periods of thought and reflection about what is most important to me now.
Questions for reflection:
How are you finding meaning in this season? What feels most important to you now?