Good morning…
As we came in from the sunny winter cold to celebrate a friend’s 80th birthday with our Thursday morning class, I received photos from Ohio. “We have about 5″ of snow and most schools are closed,” my dad texted. “It’s much worse in the snow belt east of Cleveland.”
“Snow days off school,” was one thing on the list, as our class identified what we like most about winter. As if on cue, family from up north added the visual.
We sang “Happy birthday” with candles and cards, an 80th birthday balloon and homemade zucchini bread. Then, we read words aloud from the front left flap of the book jacket on Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May.
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“Sometimes you slip through the cracks: unforeseen circumstances like an abrupt illness, the death of a loved one, a breakup, or a job loss derail a life. These periods of dislocation can be lonely and unexpected. For May, her husband fell ill, her son stopped attending school, and her own medical issues led her to leave a demanding job. Wintering explores how she not only endured this painful time but embraced the singular opportunity it offered.
A moving personal narrative shot through with lessons from literature, mythology, and the natural world, May’s story offers instruction on the transformative power of rest and retreat. Illumination emerges from many sources: solstice celebrations and dormice hibernation, C.S. Lewis and Sylvia Plath, swimming in icy waters and sailing arctic seas.
Ultimately, Wintering invites us to change how we relate to our own fallow times. May models an active acceptance of sadness and finds nourishment in deep retreat, joy in the hushed beauty of winter, and encouragement in understanding life as cyclical, not linear. A secular mystic, May forms a guiding philosophy for transforming the hardships that arise before the ushering in of a new season.”
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As a class, we added our own stories of unforeseen circumstances. The grief of a friend whose beloved 14 year old dog has cancer. Prayers for an adored group member facing today’s breast surgery to remove a suspicious mass. The betrayal of a long standing marital affair. The ongoing impact of Parkinson’s Disease. My 88 year old dad considering radiation treatment for his prostate cancer. One friend’s husband having hernia surgery today after his heart transplant a few years back. A friend who grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota shared the frightening struggles of her old neighbors.
These periods of dislocation can be lonely and unexpected. How might we not only endure this painful time but embrace the singular opportunity it offers?
- Develop active acceptance of sadness.
- Find nourishment in deep retreat.
- Discover joy in the hushed beauty of winter.
- Understand life as cyclical, not linear.
The lamp of the Eternal illuminates the human spirit, searching our most intimate thoughts (Proverbs 20:27, VOICE). May God’s illumination emerge from many sources, as we learn to grow through our own fallow times.
…Sue…
