Local Writer | Enjoying in the Season – Part 2

Written by: Joyee Koay (our local writer) 
Images by: Joyee Koay and Anna Duong

A brief bio of the writer:
Joyee Koay has been a regular writer and contributor to the RLCN since she was a high school student. Currently, she is studying her Masters at the University of Melbourne. She is passionate about writing “food for thought” articles that encourages readers to go beyond their circumstances and live out their best lives. Apart from writing, she is an established violinist and performer who loves a good side hustle and food.

Note: This is the second part of the original article, titled “Enjoying in the Season Part 1”,  published on Page 22 of the RLCN February 2021 edition.

We can enjoy every season of life that we encounter. While it can be easy to be overwhelmed by our circumstances, our attitude and outlook towards our season determines whether we leave it victorious or defeated. When we learn to seek out the benefits in a season, we give ourselves the opportunity to appreciate where we are at and position ourselves for personal growth and learning. 

Timing is everything

One of the challenges that we face in each season is not knowing how long it takes to reach the end. We assume that if we knew when the end was, we would take comfort in knowing how long we need to endure a particular circumstance. But in most instances, we never get that knowledge. When we allow our discomfort to rule our season, we are positioning ourselves to be inflicted with difficulty and to feel burdened by our environment. What we often miss, is that the growing comes through the season of discomfort. Sometimes the dreams that we desire need time to grow and develop before it can flourish. But if we are unwilling to wait the time out, then we are seeing immature forms of those produce. Therefore, when we allow the season to run its full course, we can receive the full harvest at the end of it. your expectations.

Action, not dissatisfaction

What we do in our season of wait either nurtures or suppresses growth. It is easy to be swept up in the conditions of our season: the intensity of situations, unfavourable weather conditions and the wilting of certain things in our life. Often, our attitudes are so focussed on how the season doesn’t reflect what we want, that we rather dwell in idleness than to embrace what is in front of us. If a farmer simply waited for the season to pass, they would not be ready for the plantation and harvest of the next seasons. Likewise, we may not be able to control the seasonality, but we can focus on what we can do in preparation for the next season; rather than complaining about what we don’t have. When we wait with action and not dissatisfaction, not only will we reap the produce of the current season, we will be prepared for what is ahead.

Enjoy the seasonal fruit

Every season has something unique to that season. While we can enjoy the watermelons, cherries and plums in summer, these delicacies that can only be found in a certain season. Throughout the year, we don’t constantly complain about the fruits we don’t have, rather we enjoy the fruits that are abundant in that particular season. Likewise, in every season of life, the good and the bad, there is always fruit to be found. If we don’t indulge in what is seasonally offered, then we may miss the opportunity to try them altogether. If we all have to go through seasons, why then should we deprive ourselves of the luxuries found in them? Some things can only be enjoyed in particular circumstances but it is up to us to look beyond our situations and see the fruit.

We may not understand a lot of things about the seasons we encounter, with most being out of our control. But we can take heart in knowing that the seasons will always change. When we do come out of the season, we will be stronger and better positioned for what is next in our life. Nothing is wasted when we learn to make the most out of the season and to enjoy it to its fullest.