Upland, CA — One of the shows I like when I am passing time is Outlander. Although it is about fantasy, time travel, and Scottish ways, I do find it fascinating. As March begins to wind down, there is an old piece of folklore that surfaces in parts of Scotland and Northern England known as, “Borrowing Days.” Traditionally observed during the final days of March the story says that March borrowed a few days from April to unleash one final burst of harsh weather before spring could fully arrive. According to legend, March was frustrated because a proud old sheep believed it had survived the worst of winter. So, March borrowed a few days from April and sent bitter winds and storms to prove that winter was not quite finished yet.
While the story is rooted in folklore, the symbolism still resonates today. Borrowing days represent something many of us experience in life: just when we believe we have made it through the hardest season, another challenge appears. But the lesson hidden in this old story is not simply about harsh weather. It is about preparation, resilience, and community. And perhaps that lesson is more relevant today than ever. Across the world, people are navigating economic uncertainty, political tensions, rising costs of living, and the emotional toll of constant change. Many women, especially those balancing careers, families, caregiving responsibilities, and leadership roles, find themselves standing at unexpected crossroads. Just when it seems like the storm has passed, another gust of wind appears. These are our modern borrowing days. Yet throughout history, women have proven that they know how to weather storms. Before modern conveniences and complex systems, communities survived through something simple yet powerful, people helped each other.
Neighbors shared food. Families pooled resources. Women gathered wisdom from mothers, grandmothers, and elders who had already walked through difficult seasons. Knowledge was passed down not through social media posts or online courses, but through conversations around kitchen tables and church pews. Those were not easy times. But they were times when people understood that survival was collective, not individual. In many ways, we may be entering a season where those older values matter again. This does not mean we abandon progress or innovation. It simply means we remember that strength has always been built through relationships, wisdom, and faith. As The Purpose Partner, my mission has always been to help women navigate life’s crossroads so they can become unshakable and live their lives with strategic grace. And what I have learned over decades of working with women from many walks of life is this, storms will come, borrowing days will happen, but women who understand their purpose, their community, and their inner strength are far more prepared to endure them.
Many women today feel pressure to have everything figured out, to appear strong, successful, and self-sufficient at all times. Yet history reminds us that strength has never meant doing everything alone. True resilience often looks like collaboration. It looks like asking for guidance from someone who has walked the road before you. It looks like sharing wisdom, resources, and encouragement so that no one has to weather the storm by themselves. This is especially important for women who find themselves standing at a personal crossroads, whether that crossroads involves career changes, family transitions, health challenges, or simply the quiet realization that life is calling them toward something new. Crossroads are not the end of the journey. Often, they are the place where transformation begins. Borrowing days remind us that even when the weather shifts unexpectedly, spring is still on its way. The storm may arrive late, but it does not cancel the coming season of growth. The same is true in our lives. There will always be seasons that test us. There will be moments when we feel as though the winds have picked up again just when we thought we were safe. But those moments are also opportunities to rediscover what truly sustains us: faith, community, wisdom, and grace.
Perhaps the old Scottish storytellers understood something we sometimes forget today, the seasons of life are rarely predictable. Winter does not always leave quietly. Storms sometimes linger. But spring always comes. And when it does, the women who have weathered their borrowing days often emerge stronger, wiser, and more prepared for the next chapter of their lives. Never lose heart. Lean into the wisdom of those who came before you. Support those walking beside you. And trust that the storm, no matter how fierce, is only a temporary visitor on the road to something new.
Wendy is the Purpose Partner helping women go from Crossroads to Confidence, from Shaken to Unshakable, from Purpose to Power. To learn more visit WendyGladney.com and ForgivingForLiving.org
