If you live in the Northeastern part of the United States, or even if you don't, you will see some type of seasonal change all around you. Whether that be leaves falling to the ground during the fall season from the deciduous trees around you, the snow and ice layering upon one another in the winter time, or periods of significant heat in the summer where ripples of heat can be seen waving up from the roads, everyone experiences variations in the changing of the seasons. What can we learn from being a witness to these changes? For starters, we can look at the important work that nature is engaging in, and how integral that is to survival. Without the falling of leaves, trees wouldn't be able to protect themselves from the harsh climate of cold weather and would have extra added leaves frozen with ice, sucking up vital nutrients and causing breakages on tree limbs. Shedding the "dead" weight allows the trees to prepare for the spring and summer. Snow and ice allow for natural integrations of climate changes and water replenishment for the spring. The heat of summer is essential for life. It allows for the transfer of energy for life sustaining activities even if we feel it's too much for us! Secondly, viewing these changes allows us to see change as a purposeful event. If everything in nature has a purpose, no matter how small or frustrating it may be to us (trying to drive to work during an ice storm), we can begin to recognize that we must play a role throughout the interconnected web we describe as nature or our world. Sometimes, on those days when we are forced to stay and watch, like during a snowfall, or a thunderstorm, we may learn more about ourselves through the teachers all around us.
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