Finding Beauty in the Disruption of the Time Change
In just a few days here in the US, we’ll be setting our clocks ahead yet again. It’s the annual dance of daylight saving time—lose an hour, gain some light.
The time change often feels like a big inconvenience. Fall back… spring ahead… it’s disorienting. But there’s a curious beauty in this little disruption that’s easy to miss.
Look around. The seasons are changing.
Writing from Southern California, we’re graced today with the winter rains. The chill will soon give way to spring’s warmth. The days are lengthening, and the sun stays with us a little longer.
The time change invites us to consider the ebb and flow of life. There are moments when everything seems to fall into place. Other times, life feels off, like the clocks don’t match the rhythm of our lives.
But much like the changing seasons, life moves through phases—each with its unique beauty. Some are marked by bursts of creation, and others are marked by rest.
Both are equally important, even if it’s hard to appreciate.
I see it playing out for my friend Dave who is currently in the Canadian Arctic, photographing the migratory pattern of polar bears to Churchill. The Arctic winters are bleak and cold, but without them, you wouldn’t have the intense magic of the aurora night sky.
So, as the clocks jump ahead, it’s not just about what we’re losing (say, an hour of sleep), but about what we’re gaining: an invitation to embrace the season we’re in.
To notice and appreciate the changing landscapes of our own lives.
Each season, each moment, offers something to savor, even if it’s fleeting.
Here’s to embracing what’s ahead.
Some ways to help you through the time change >
What I’m watching: Shaped By Wild ~ Life in BC’s coastal mountain range
What I’m reading: Behind a Photographer’s Dreamlike Vision of the Russian Arctic
What I’m hearing: Radiohead plays In Rainbows From the Basement