“An Invincible Summer”: On Winter as a Season of Restoration
“In seed time, learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy”.
-William Blake
“In the midst of winter, I found within me an invincible summer”.
-Albert Camus
What comes to mind when you think of Winter? Is it a jarring chill? Bleak, naked forests? The waning daylight? In the same way that Spring brings new life to mind, Winter is often associated with death. The world seems to close in on itself for a time, leaving us deprived of the warmth it provided in earlier seasons. But what if Winter is actually a season of restoration and preparation? After all, the animals hibernate. Why shouldn’t we, in a way? While I don’t intend to hasten along the snow by meditating on this while Autumn has barely begun, I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like this season is just a blip before the cold comes barreling in.
I was recently struck by a quote regarding Winter from Albert Camus. In his poem “Within Me”, he wrote:
“In the midst of winter, I found within me an invincible summer”.
This led me to consider that in this season that feels so dormant, there is ultimate potential. Winter, despite its appearance, need not be seen as the death of Spring and Summer. If we choose, it can be a deep, restorative sleep preparing us to greet the next spring wiser and re-energized.
I ask you to join me in thinking about how you can hold yourself a little tighter as the weather gets colder. What parts of you, both internal and external, could benefit from intentional rest and care? What parts of yourself can you be tender with now, with the goal of strengthening them for the future? When Albert Camus spoke of an “invincible summer”, I believe he meant strength and brightness within himself, even amidst dark days. Resilience and potential that, if cultivated in winter’s dormancy, could bloom.
Perhaps we should take a cue from the hibernating plants and animals and rest awhile. It is up to you what that looks like. There does not have to be fruit on the trees for a season to be fruitful, nor does it have to be Spring for you to grow.