When the Seasons Change (Suddenly)

Well, that escalated quickly. One minute we were in shorts and sandals, still enjoying warm evenings and late sunsets. The next minute—bam! Zero degrees overnight and frost on the car windscreen. Winter has arrived with all the subtlety of a surprise tax bill.

Here in Adelaide, we’ve had one of the warmest, longest summers I can remember. Autumn barely got a look-in before winter shouldered its way in like it owned the place. And the suddenness of it caught me off guard. One afternoon I was outside playing ball with Lucy (our Border Collie) in the golden light, sleeves rolled up. The next, I was fumbling around in the back of the wardrobe for a scarf and beanie, muttering, “Where did I put my thermals?”

There’s something about these abrupt shifts that reminds me how seasons in life can change just as fast.

Sometimes we feel it coming—those slow, subtle transitions. A relationship shifting, work changing, or a deep soul-weariness creeping in. Other times, it’s more like this week’s weather. A sudden loss, a hard conversation, an unexpected opportunity—or even a gradual season finally reaching its tipping point.

And like the shock of a cold morning, life’s seasonal changes can leave us reeling. Off balance. Reaching for something warm and steady.

This is where I’ve found Spiritual Direction to be a gift.

Spiritual Direction isn’t about having all the answers. (If you’ve ever met a Spiritual Director who claims to, maybe back away slowly.) It’s more like having a wise companion who helps you notice what God might be doing in the midst of your current season—whatever that looks like. Whether you’re grieving, growing, doubting, dreaming, or just trying to survive the school term.

In my own journey, I’ve learned that just because a season changes doesn’t mean God has disappeared. But I often need help to see where God is in it. And to be honest enough to admit when I’m cold, confused, or carrying too much.

So, if you’re feeling the chill of a season change—literal or otherwise—you’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure it out solo. Spiritual Direction can be a warm, steady space to reflect, listen, and maybe even discover that this new season holds unexpected grace.

You might still need a good scarf. But you don’t have to walk through it alone.