Change is Beautiful

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Diana Cruz

Fall is undoubtedly my all-time favorite season. There is something so tranquil about feeling my favorite flannel brush against the cool breeze. The sight of beautiful vibrant leaves falling upon the jack-o-lantern on my doorstep brings color to my world. The scent of freshly baked cookies being carried throughout the house warms me as I watch classic horror movie reruns on the TV. But for a multitude of reasons, autumn this year resonates with me on a deeper, more existential level. It is the season of change, both externally and internally. As we come to adjust our surroundings and habits to correlate with our altering environment, we may begin to reflect inward.

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go." text graphic

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Wrapping up the year

Posted on December 30, 2013 by MSAA

2013 is rapidly fading, and if you are like me, then by this point you are tired of all the wrapping and the go go go “holiday mode” and may be trying to mentally prepare for next year and what it may bring with it. A lot happens in the course of a year.

As the time rushes by, try to set aside a moment and think and write about 2013 as a year. Did you have a success or accomplishment you were proud of? Was there a goal that you didn’t quite meet or something you will strive to improve on next year? Was there something that made you laugh so hard you cried?

Write your own list. You can either hang it up somewhere you see frequently to remind you of goals and moments and memories you experienced throughout 2013. Alternatively, you can write it down and seal it in an envelope, then open it when 2014 is wrapping up. This will help you reflect on what you thought of 2013 and provide a retrospective of the curveballs, challenges, victories and laughter that the year brought.

MSAA wishes you a happy New Year! Please note that our office will be closed on January 1^st 2014.

Challenging Memories

Posted on December 13, 2013 by MSAA

Often a memory is sparked by some sort of trigger which could manifest itself as many things, a smell, a touch, or hearing a particular sound. For many, music can be a hallmark of specific times in their life so when listening to the radio and some random song from your past comes on you may be taken back to your living room and remember dancing and laughing with your girlfriends in the 6^th grade.

Most of these memories are benign and may start you reminiscing; however, sometimes music can also evoke memories of more challenging times in your life, especially around moments of great grief or loss.

This morning, I heard one of these songs on the radio and it sparked a train of memories about a time in my life in which I experienced a significant loss. No matter how many times I hear that song it will always bring back a flood of memories. While I can’t stop the association my response to that song is now different than it may have been 20 years ago. As people change and evolve over time so do our emotions and our personal reflections on memories even of very difficult and challenging times in our lives.

Everyone has not one song, but many; however, there may always be one that stands alone as “the song” or “the trigger” for some difficult event. Sometimes reflection over growth and change over time can be beneficial. Over time we may find different truths in our memories, and maybe there is something positive which may be found amongst the pain. This morning when I heard “that song” I smiled instead of cried, and maybe it was a little bit of a sad smile, but that is o.k.

2013-The Year of Changes

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Samantha Schech

2013 has been a pretty substantial year in my life. As I grow older, I start to reflect back each year, just to stay in tuned with myself. I have accomplished a lot this year, in starting my career with MSAA, moving, and feeling more emotionally complete.

It is hard not to be sentimental while reflecting back; some of my favorite times are spent talking about past life events or some of the interesting people who have come into our lives. I strongly believe that there is a lesson in every moment, but sometimes you have to take a step back to see it.

Although our physical surroundings and lives may have changed over the years, our inner souls remain the same. We are still the same person on the inside. For many, it can be a challenge to accept these changes; they wish to be the person they were before. However, I think we are that same person, but maybe we have become so bogged down with all of the “stuff” outside of ourselves, we have lost touch with our inner souls.

There is a quote, by Bryant H. McGill, “Change will never happen when people lack the ability and courage to see themselves for who they are”. Take some time this holiday season to find yourself again. Maybe reach out to an old friend or family member and reminisce about the years.

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