Embracing the changing seasons

Oct. 7

I’ve been thinking a lot about seasons lately. Maybe it’s the crispness in the air or the leaves turning colour, but there’s something about this time of year that invites reflection. This past weekend, some friends and I gathered in a local park to celebrate Michaelmas—a tradition that feels like a gentle nod to my past and the changing rhythms of the world around us.

*Leaves by the North Saskatchewan River turning colour—a visual reminder of the beauty in change and the natural cycles that guide us.*

Michaelmas isn’t exactly a mainstream holiday, but it holds a special place in my heart. It was something we celebrated during my early years at a Waldorf school.

For those who might not be familiar, Waldorf education is an alternative curriculum that’s deeply connected to nature, creativity, and the rhythms of life. If you’re curious, check out this link for more information.

Michaelmas falls at the end of September and marks the transition from light to darkness as we move further into autumn. It’s a time that encourages courage and introspection—qualities that seem especially important right now. The celebration at school was all about dragon-slaying (metaphorically, of course) and finding the bravery to face whatever challenges lie ahead as we move into the darker half of the year.

It’s a festival rooted in Christian allegory—St. Michael defeating the dragon—although lately, I’ve been rethinking it as less about slaying and more about transforming our inner challenges, finding growth and resilience where we can (even dragons deserve their own redemptive arc ✨).

This weekend, we didn’t quite recreate the medieval festivity from my childhood, but we did share stories, reflect on our personal “dragons,” and spend the afternoon with our circle of support—the people who help us find our way through it all. There was something very grounding about it—being outside, feeling the chill of the changing season, and marking this moment of transition together.

*Sitting around a fire with friends—sharing stories and laughter—was the perfect reminder that even in times of darkness, there is warmth and light to be found in community. Photo by* *Tim Gouw* on *Unsplash*

It got me thinking about how much we need these kinds of moments—not just to acknowledge the changing of the seasons around us, but to recognize the seasons within us. In my work with Tilia, seasonality comes up a lot. There’s a time for everything: a time for planting seeds, a time for growth, a time for harvesting, and a time for rest. Community engagement, much like the natural world, follows these rhythms.

Sometimes we’re in a season of excitement and expansion—launching new projects, bringing people together, planting the seeds of ideas. Other times, we find ourselves in a season of reflection—where we need to slow down, take stock, and prepare for what’s next. And then there are the Michaelmas moments—those times when we need to dig deep, find our courage, and face the challenges that stand before us.

I think about the work we do at Tilia, and how it often feels like holding space for people through their own seasons—helping communities find their courage during uncertain times, nurturing connections that help us all feel a little less alone as we navigate the darker seasons together.

So, as the season of fuzzy socks and warm scarves begins, I’m holding onto the reminder that change is a constant, and that each season, in its own way, calls for courage, community, and connection. And that sometimes, what we really need is to gather with friends in a park, share a slice of slightly burnt dragon-shaped bread, and remember that we’re all in this together—dragons and all.

~ Lindsay