Spring is in the air, warmer weather, the first glimpse of daylight waking us in the morning, and birds chirping outside the window.  Interestingly when we are young spring is viewed as the season that precedes summer, where the real fun begins.  As we age it is inevitable and perhaps advisable to begin enjoying each season while reflecting there are likely more springs behind us than before us.

Appreciation for the Change of Seasons

Driving along the swollen Grand River to meet my partners for our April Quarterly meeting, my mind wandered back to a recent conversation with a fellow MEA participant. The Modern Elder Academy (MEA) is the creation of my friend Chip Conley and is located off a beautiful beach in Baja, Mexico, just outside El Pescadero. As my MEA compatriot and I enjoyed another amazing sunset in the warm, clear evening, we agreed on how much we appreciate the change of seasons. We both reside in the northern USA and enjoy a mutual appreciation for spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Biomimicry Inspiration

Continuing my reflection during the sunny spring morning drive, this insight unfolded, the seasons of life mirror the seasons of nature. Over a decade ago, while attending the annual Fortune Summit hosted by Verne Harnish, I was enraptured by Jay Harman’s presentation on Biomimicry. Jay described how a group of scientists and entrepreneurs are looking to nature for answers to the challenges on our planet. The premise being that mother nature has already solved every problem over the past billion years of forming and reforming. An example of Biomimicry is the Wright Brothers solving the issue of manned flight.  David McCullough in his NY Times best seller, “The Wright Brothers” explained how Wilber and Orville solved the challenge of lighter-than-air flight by watching birds carry the wind and studying the design of their wings. 

Daily Re-harmonization Practice

We know everything in nature follows a sine wave, including humans. The only exception is technology which has only 2 states, on or off, 1 or 0. Understanding this, we encourage starting the day and ending the day away from technology in prayer, meditation, nature, or reflection allowing our essence to re-harmonize with the universe. The changing seasons are nature’s way of harmonizing with the universe. When we disrupt that by intentionally avoiding seasons we don’t embrace, such as summer in Florida and winter in Michigan, we inadvertently disrupt the harmony of aging. Instead of appreciating the changing seasons of life, we cling desperately to a past we can never regain. Perhaps nature is inspiring us to embrace the flow and majesty of each season of life.