Wintering
🌟Weekly Inspiration🌟
I’ve been thinking about the seasons—that we have been in winter and the beginnings of spring are starting to appear. I love the sun and typically long for spring and summer . This year, I have noticed a clinging to winter inside myself, feeling not quite ready for spring in terms of my mood…more melancholic, more contemplative, and slower in my own personal pacing. My family rhythm has been slower and that has been welcome. I’ve been talking with clients about loneliness, existential questions, and spirituality.
I just ordered the book called WINTERING: THE POWER OF REST AND RETREAT IN DIFFICULT TIMES by Katherine May.
She writes: "Wintering is the way I describe the times in life when we feel ‘out in the cold’—those moments when we fall through the cracks and are unable to get a foothold back in everyday life. It often results from a mental or physical illness, or from a major life event like a bereavement, separation, or the loss of a job. But it can also arrive in unexpected ways too. New mothers often endure a wintering, for example, and sometimes the cause of our winter is unclear. Winter just arrives unbidden.
Whatever the cause, it’s a lonely and painful time, but it’s also the experience of change happening. I think we need to learn to accept and even welcome our winters because they’re a crucial part of our humanity. Wintering is how wisdom is made, and every time we winter, we grow in resilience and compassion, and we deepen our capacity for joy."
Ask Yourself:
Does this concept resonate with me? Have I experienced periods in my life when I “wintered?”
Does middle age present new reasons to Winter? Aging parents, children leaving the nest, health concerns, grief, and loss?
Do I avoid Winter or do I embrace it? Why?
Can Wintering happen when it is not in fact winter? (The answer is yes)
How do I model Wintering to my children? What do I explain to them about difficult times and challenging emotions like sadness/loneliness/despair?
How can I resist my own Wintering periods less? Can I remember that they will eventually pass?
How can I support my child who has their own periods of Wintering?
Sending love ❤️