As the Seasons Change, So Do We

I’m not sure where you are, but here at Fort Drum, fall starts early. It comes without much warning—one day I’m in cotton shorts and a t-shirt, and the next, I need jeans and an oversized sweatshirt.

Some of you may find that frustrating.

Not enough time to switch the summer clothes out for the chilly weather wardrobe.

Not enough time spent splashing in the pool (But let’s be honest, there hasn’t been a ton of that this summer).

But it doesn’t have to be frustrating. Instead of seeing fall as an inconvenience, you could see it as an opportunity.

Now you have the unexpected (or long-awaited in my case)  chance to grab a lightweight jacket, just in case.

You can drape a fuzzy blanket on the couch for the random moment when a chill bursts through an open window, and you want to wrap yourself in something.

You can go to that apple orchard or cider mill (Burrville Cider Mill, anyone?) and get some tasty—and seasonal—treats!

You can hear the crunch of leaves under your feet, and if it’s just cold enough, see your breath.

You can immerse yourself in thoughts of Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving side dishes, and whether you’ll do Black Friday shopping or wait until Cyber Monday. (I’m more of the latter, as I can’t drive. You can read more about that here and here).

You can do new and different activities that aren’t typical “spring or summer activities,” and you might learn something about yourself as the seasons change.

For example, when we first moved to Fort Drum, I had no idea that I liked boots. Sounds trivial, but hear me out!

Boots are versatile, insofar as they can be styled with anything and for any occasion. You can wear them in any season; you just just change how you wear them (socks, tights, leggings, jeans, dresses, etc.). They are typically supportive and comfy, so you can wear them all day long.

Military life is not unlike my move to Drum and learning that I like boots.

That may sound like a stretch, but it isn’t.

Military life is about change. It’s about knowing that change is peeking out over the horizon at all times, even if you aren’t sure when she will announce herself. It’s about handling those changes when they come, because you will rarely get a say in how those changes are executed.

That’s a lot to put on a person, but there are ways to embrace the seasons of change:

1. Journal. It is a helpful way to get your emotions—positive or not—out exactly as you feel them.

2. Talk to another military spouse who is going through the same change you are or something similar.

3. Figure out the ways your life will stay the same. Don’t immediately name these things as good or bad. Most of the time, they are neither. They just are. Sit with that knowledge.

4. If there are things, people, or places you are leaving, remember this: “See you again.” The military often seems as vast as the ocean, but it isn’t. There are many reasons you could run into old friends or visit a favorite place: a vacation, a TDY, a surprise PCS.

5. Hunt the good stuff, whether it’s a move to another home at your current duty station, a TDY, deployment, PCS, or something else. Will it be new scenery? New friends? A new job? Are you about to become a parent?

Know that the change, whatever it is, will change you.

That isn’t a bad thing.

My husband always says, “If things aren’t changing, they aren’t growing.”

That’s what I want you to know.

Military spouse life means a lot of change, and change brings growth.

But growth throughout the seasons of life doesn’t mean that you lose yourself.

It means that you find out that you like boots.