PHOTOGRAPHY AND REFLECTION
March 2024 Monthly Challenge: Change
Life’s only constant
It’s March 1st, the first day of spring! Don’t believe me? According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac:
“Meteorologically speaking, the official first day of spring is March 1 (and the last is May 31). Weather scientists divide the year into quarters to make it easier to compare seasonal and monthly statistics from one year to the next. The meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles rather than on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun, and they more closely follow the Gregorian calendar.”
However, the astrological equinox is not until March 19th, 20th, or 21st depending on the year (this year it’s the 19th). The word equinox literally translates to “equal night.” It marks the two moments each year when day and night are the same length—the first day of spring, and the first day of autumn. As each of these moments passes, either darkness or light takes the lead.
For those living in the northern hemisphere (like me), March 19th will be the vernal or spring equinox, while southerners will celebrate the cozy downturn towards autumn. In either instance, we observe a shift in the weather, the natural world, and often in ourselves.
I took the above photo on March 17th, 2023, and the below photo ten days later on March 27th.
Photography certainly is one way to capture change! In those ten days, the snow cleared and the sun emerged: spring was underway.
Some religions, cultures, and traditions are guided by the seasons and lean into messages and practices of change around these times of year. In spring, we may plant intentions for personal growth like seeds in warm soil; at the approach of autumn, we might turn inward, pause, and reflect. Change is constant, but it hits differently at the equinox.
This month, we want to see and hear about how change is showing up in your life:
- Are you noticing changes in the landscape when you spend time outdoors? Are plants sprouting or leaves falling?
- Are you in the northern hemisphere or the southern? What changes typically happen during the month of March where you live? Do you enjoy them?
- What customs or rituals do you practice to celebrate seasonal changes? Have you ever participated in a seasonal celebration while traveling?
- Maybe you’ve experienced some personal change or a change in perspective recently. How does this show up for you? In your life, how has transition shaped you?
Send your stories our way, and don’t forget the authentic photos! Please tag any relevant submissions with “monthly challenge.”
The challenge will run from March 1st until March 28th. We reserve the last days of the month to compile challenge submissions.
A few quotes about change to get you in the mood:
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” ― Wayne W. Dyer
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” ― Alan Wilson Watts
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change.” —Winston Churchill
With gratitude from the In Living Color team: JoAnn Ryan, OCTAVIA EVER AFTER, Melissa Rock, and me.
Happy writing!