by Stephanie Winston
“ For everything there is a season , and a time for every purpose under heaven ” Ecclesiastes 3:11
Being from the East Coast of the United States , I ’ ve always loved the transition to fall . I would eagerly await the chill in the air that would appear every September , the saturated colors of the leaves as they change and my favorite seasonal warm beverage from Starbucks . Fall signals for me amongst many things , new beginnings . Harvest and abundance .
As I write this article , Autumn is inching closer in the Big Bend region . I can feel it in the air . I can see it in the long shadows that are cast each night at sunset . I can feel it in the excitement in my belly . I love the fall . Having lived out here for over six years , and having been exposed to a slower , more Godcentered and natural pace , I ’ m learning there is an underlying spiritual current to most things . In the spirit and within the natural world , there is indeed a season and a time for everything . This is especially apparent as the seasons begin to change .
Without a doubt , I ’ m ready for relief from the harsh falls in the desert and eagerly anticipating the change in temperature , but more than that , I look forward to change and growth in my personal and spiritual life . But not change simply for the sake of change , but rather change that is in alignment with the season that I find myself in .
Awareness of one ’ s current season requires time of observation and quiet contemplation . This is something , by nature , I tend to resist . Sitting in meditation doesn ’ t come naturally to me , but I do it anyway . It ' s how I center myself and tune in to get guidance on whatever challenges I ' m facing at the moment .
Periodically during these moments of quiet contemplation , I find myself drawn to some object , typically in nature , that parallels my current journey in life . This object inspires a closer inspection within myself and helps me to gain clarity on where I am in life . It ’ s not something that I actively seek out , but rather something that comes to me .
Last winter , it was Optunia azuria , also known as the purple prickly pear . Lately , in my quiet time , I ' ve been finding myself drawn to trees . No one type of tree in particular , but rather trees in general . But why trees ? I ’ ve come to the conclusion that I ' m feeling drawn to trees because trees are denizens of change . They ’ re intelligent , living beings , constantly sensing , adapting , preparing and changing . Trees are alive in the current season while constantly
12 Cenizo Fall 2022