At times it may feel exhausting to look around and see people in seasons that you wish you were in. Engagements, moving into a new home, beginning an amazing career, you name it!
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This reminds me of last year's season between late winter and early spring. When I lived in Indiana, I often saw my friends in California post pictures of flowers, the beach, and their cute spring outfits while I was still stuffing my feet into two pairs of wool socks.
I even remember the sinking feeling in my stomach when I learned a Midwest winter could linger into April!
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Springs in northern California come like a rush of warm wind. Plum trees can fully bloom in a few weeks' time, yet they sometimes last much shorter than spring flowers in the Midwest. In colder weather, spring comes as a sigh over the land. Daffodils may appear in small little clusters over snow covered hillsides. And sage green buds on the bare trees often blur into the gray of spring fog. The slow beauty of changing nature was breathtaking.
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If there's one thing I've learned from observing the coming of spring is that the same season can be beautiful and uniquely different. While you see people starting families, getting married, moving abroad, entering new relationships etc. I hope you remember that there is beauty in your season and in the pace it unfolds.

Flourishing: (of a person, animal, or other living organism) grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.
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In the fall of 2019, I attended a conference on Building Sustainable
Peace. I remember my excitement as I was surrouned by flurries of conversations ranging from strengthening international negotiations, new peacebuilding technologies, and decoloniality. Yet one panel in particular transformed how I understood peace. The presenter, Katherine Grein, discussed "The Many Faces of Resilient Mothers", and how mothers established ecosystems of resilience. This often included healthy connections and fostering physical environments that cultivated a sense of safety. Before her presentation, I believed resilience was internal - mental fortitude -having grit and pushing beyond one's boundaries. I believed I was resilient because I managed to accomplish quite a bit under deeply challenging circumstances throughout my life. However, I never intentionally took stock of how my physical environment, community, and even beliefs added to or chipped away at my resilience. That day showed me that success does not necessarily equate to flourishing. It is only one aspect to a much larger process.
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Today's reflection: What does healthy growth or flourishing looking like to you?