Everything seems to run in cycles, especially fashion and politics.  Every time I think I have the fashion rules figured out, they change.  What goes out turns up in again later. I just hope balloon pants from the 80’s never resurface.  It’s the same with our elected officials.  We vote for change and a few years later we vote for change again and hope some of the politicians never show up again.  And around and around we chase.

This time of year starts another cycle.  It’s as if we’re putting everything to bed for the winter.  The grass gets cut one last time, mowers are stored, sprinkler systems are drained and flower beds are cleaned out.  For me, it’s officially fall when the hibiscus comes in the house. 

This is the 6th year she will winter in my living room.  Someone told me at the end of the summer the first year that hibiscus do well inside, so I tried it.  I refer to it as a girl because she’s kind of fancy, very temperamental and she goes through the same cycle every year.

About three days after she is inside the leaves start to turn yellow and fall off.  This goes on until she’s totally bald.  Just about the time it looks as if she has died little green buds start to appear.  Within the next six weeks she’ll be blooming again.  It’s like she pouts for a while then gets over herself and tries again.  And so it goes every year.  

I talked to a young women recently who said, “I feel like I’m stuck.  So much change has happened this year and I can’t get motivated.”  We’ve all been in that spot.  When life shifts us in to a new season or cycle it takes some time to adjust.  That’s normal and expected, but at some point we need to move on and start blooming again.