{"id":4797,"date":"2024-10-01T07:43:47","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T05:43:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/?p=4797"},"modified":"2024-10-15T09:28:39","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T07:28:39","slug":"winters-soul-invite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/01\/winters-soul-invite\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter’s Soul Invite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An invitation to slower living and the simple joys of winter living.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo by freestocks<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Isn’t it strange how we outgrow parts of ourselves as we evolve over time? The things you liked in in your twenties, thirties, even your forties no longer hold the same appeal. For me, that includes nature’s four seasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Ode to Summer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back in the 70s, summer was my favourite time of year. It’s inextricably linked to carefree childhood moments with my best friend, exploring our vibrant colourful community and playing what’s now called indigenous games in our cul-de-sac. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We embraced the bliss of summer days, venturing into the nearby hills to pick pine cones, wild figs or spent hours in her backyard teaching our brick ‘scholars’ the ABC’s and 1-2-3’s we were learning in school. Those innocent days and creative play would come back to me decades later when I transitioned to midlife, still searching for my ‘passions’ and deeper life ‘purpose’. It was all right there in the bliss of childhood play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, in her book The Garden Within<\/a>, Dr. Anita Phillips, trauma and mental health therapist breaks down this often overly complex search for purposeful living into a simple formula, worth exploring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing Seasons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These days the colder, crisp winter months holds a deeper appeal. In the heart of winter in New Zealand, I was inspired to write a little poem that celebrates the simple joys of winter living. I shared this over on my substack, Midlife Reflections<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, as winter makes way for spring in my corner of the world, its heartwarming to see the beautiful Fall displays being rolled out in homes of fellow creatives across the globe. To share my appreciation and echo that spirit of celebration for the beauty in changing seasons, I thought I’d share the poem here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Ode to Winter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While summer holds fond memories of childhood days –
Running barefoot and playing with your best friend
Climbing trees in the backyard
Picking wild figs and pine cones in the fields
Collecting rock muscles and swimming in the shallows at the beach
Time\u2019s change, and so do we
Now, winter\u2019s chilling beauty holds a new appeal.
***
Winter\u2019s soul invites you to do the same
\u2018Slow down\u2019, she says \u2018and take a pause\u2019
Savour the smell of your morning coffee
Fill the kitchen with winter tastes and aromas
Home-made soups and bowls of veggie stew
Buttery scones and freshly brewed tea
***
Take a walk in the snow and breathe in the crisp air
Lift your face to sun when it breaks through the mist
Embrace the warmth of hope and the freedom of grace
Sit by a cozy fire quietly watching the flames dance
Snuggle up in a comfy chair and get lost in a book
***
Fill the pages of your journal and let your thoughts roam free
Seek peace in the haunting echoes of a world gripped in pain
Find ways to ease other\u2019s fears in your own unique way
Understand that part of life means our hearts will shatter again and again
***
Drift off to sleep to the soothing sound of the rain
Release and surrender to your dreams and the mysteries yet to unfold
Know that tomorrow will bring a fresh day and chance
To heed winter\u2019s soul invite to let go and just be.
***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have a cozy, blissful autumn\/winter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

XoXo<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glynis \/<\/em> The Midlife Introvert<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An invitation to slower living and the simple joys of winter living. Isn’t it strange how we outgrow parts of ourselves as we evolve over<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,71,8],"tags":[75,77],"class_list":["post-4797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspirational","category-midlife","category-purposeful-living","tag-seasons","tag-summer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4797"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4960,"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4797\/revisions\/4960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifehours.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}