Adapting to ever-changing seasons

THE SUN is up high, shining so brightly, and is barely hidden behind cotton candy clouds. There is stillness in the air and you feel a blanket of warmth shroud your entire body. Sweat starts to trickle down your cheek along with the realization that rainy days are over. Summer has come and once again it demands to be felt.

Summer is a time when people make travel plans and take much-needed trips to the beach. We put on sunscreen, take out our big sunglasses, don a big hat and with an approving smile, shift our focus on relaxing and planning our summer adventures.

The Philippines’ 2021 summer season began in March and ended last May. But for economic frontliners overwhelmed by the busy months of January to April, as well as the majority of the Philippine population spending months within the confines of their homes due to safety concerns, the change of seasons has become barely noticeable. Hopes to have a summer getaway were dashed when the pandemic set in.

With government-imposed lockdowns and travel restrictions, summer has become like any ordinary season. While for some people the extra time spent inside our homes can mean more time to think creatively and proactively, aspiring accountants can take this opportunity to focus on taking action to attain their goals and plans. It is a great time to look back on the plans that have been deferred when the world was not limited by the impacts of the pandemic. For example, accounting graduates still on the throes of taking and hurdling the CPA licensure exams can take more time to brush up on their knowledge about accounting principles. They can also take part in webinars and virtual competitions that can help them review for the licensure exams.

Just recently, P&A Foundations, Inc., the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), and the Association of Certified Public Accountants in Commerce and Industry (ACPACI) held the 22^nd Search for Outstanding Accounting Students of the Philippines. It is an annual nationwide competition which aims to shine the spotlight on the top accountancy students in the country. The virtual event was well-attended by brilliant accounting students who shared their knowledge in accounting principles.

Staying productively preoccupied during the pandemic does not just mean studying and boosting one’s academic pursuits. It could also mean setting aside time to adopt a healthy lifestyle, a change in diet plans, the pursuit of a new career path, a new business venture, or simply a break from daily routines.

Life, like nature, has its own seasons. We go through summers on our carefree days. This is a season for opportunities, reward, and fulfillment. Just like how flowers turn into full bloom, we nurture and grow in our life’s summer.

At times, we often lose sight of the adversities that we have to prepare for in life. If we fail to prepare for future challenges, we could end up losing the sprouts we’ve sown and watered. Ultimately, we should always be prepared for whatever life throws at us. And we can do this by taking time to reflect and plan our future course of action.

The seasons of life, however, is not limited to summers and rainy days. We also get through the seasons of setbacks and breakthroughs, of turbulence and calmness, of disappointments and satisfaction, of letting go and holding on, of breaking and healing, of losing and finding. Oftentimes, a multitude of circumstances define the season we are in. And these very same circumstances will bring out the various characters we have.

When seasons change, inevitably, we must also change to adapt. However, it is only when we are wise enough to recognize our full potential and our ability to weather any challenge can we make the most out of our summers and ultimately, allow us to dance through the rain.

As published in Mindanao Times, dated 15 June 2021