The pesky bugs are almost gone. The leaves are turning beautiful colors. The temperature is cooling down. And we can’t forget, it’s that time of year where putting pumpkin in everything is all of the sudden acceptable. I think it is getting a little bit extreme, though. Seriously, pumpkin in pasta? Fall is here. I really enjoy the changing of seasons. Change can be so refreshing, but with the changing of seasons comes the realization that winter will soon be on its way. Uh…No! Don’t get me wrong, I love fall and its beauty like I stated before, but knowing winter is around the corner does not sit well with me. To me, winter in South Dakota is the season that never ends. It’s a season of chapped lips, icy windshields and the flu bug galore. It seems like during winter you are in one of these three phases: you have a cold, are getting a cold or are recovering from one. This can really take a toll on your mental health as well. It is so hard to stay positive when you’re sick and freezing all the time.

 So how can you love the season you are in? I am not just talking about the weather, but I am talking about the current season of life you are in right now. I don’t know where you are. You might be walking through a storm. You might have a terminal illness and are just barely hanging on. You might be struggling to make ends meet financially. You might be fighting the loneliness and depression of losing a loved one. Whatever it is, I encourage you to stop and think for a minute, step back from your situation. What can you be grateful for today? Presently I am sure there are numerous things you can think of. I am not talking about the big things, I am talking about the little. The things you would normally overlook and not think twice about. The things you take for granted like a heated home, a warm meal and a running car. Maybe it’s a cheerful word or text message, a friendly smile or a hug. Whatever it is, think about those moments and be on the look out for them this week.

 For me this past week, it was a much-needed hug. I have been getting discouraged because of my current personal season. It seems like it won’t end. I have been having some health problems the past year and no one can figure out why. All of my appointments have amounted to dead ends, leaving me more confused than when I started. But I have decided to choose joy in the midst of my circumstances. I have realized it is a daily choice and also a daily battle. 

So, the hug I received this past week was one of those little things that I was grateful for. It was not something my friend said when she gave me a hug, but it was the action and heart that went into it. It was as if she saw right into my heart and knew exactly what I was feeling and knew exactly what to do. She had been in my season of life once and she reassured me it would eventually end. I can only hope and pray for the best. But in the mean time, I challenge you to love the season you are in, even when it is difficult. Find joy in the little things.

Kendra is an advertising major. She can be reached at [email protected].