Sometimes, life feels like a long, biting frost. We all experience those periods where everything seems cold, stagnant, or even lonely. Albert Camus speaks so beautifully about this when he mentions finding an invincible summer deep within himself during the depths of winter. To me, this means that even when our external circumstances are harsh, freezing, or filled with loss, there is a reservoir of warmth, resilience, and light tucked away inside our very souls that no amount of snow can bury.

In our everyday lives, these winters often show up as moments of grief, career setbacks, or family tensions. It is easy to feel like the cold has settled permanently in our bones, making us forget that we are capable of warmth. We tend to look outward for the sun, hoping someone else will bring the heat, when the most powerful source of light is actually waiting for us to acknowledge it. The strength we need isn't something we have to go out and find; it is something we have to rediscover within our own hearts.

I remember a time when I felt completely overwhelmed by a season of change that felt much like a blizzard. Everything I had planned was falling apart, and I felt so small and shivering in the wind. I spent so many days waiting for the world to get warmer, for my circumstances to improve, before I would allow myself to feel okay again. But one afternoon, while sitting quietly with a cup of tea, I realized that the warmth I was craving was already there in my ability to keep going, to keep caring, and to keep hoping. My internal summer didn't depend on the weather outside; it depended on my decision to nurture my own inner light.

As you navigate your own seasons, please remember that the frost is temporary, but your inner strength is permanent. Even when you feel the chill of life's hardest moments, try to lean into that quiet, invincible part of yourself. Take a moment today to sit in silence and ask yourself where your summer is hiding. You might be surprised to find that it has been waiting for you all along, ready to bloom the moment you decide to let it shine.