In the midst of winter,
I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer.
~ Albert Camus
The above quote was featured on a card I received from one of my college philosophy professors. It arrived at a time in my life when
my world seemed so cold and bleak. I was twenty-two years old, living in Ohio
while attending graduate school. I was still reeling psychically from the
murder of my father just days before Christmas that past December. It was my
winter of discontent.
Yet, those
fifteen words by Albert Camus sparked an inner strength, a flicker of joy, and
awakened a dormant, indomitable soul. While
many of you cannot identify with the murder of a loved one, I know everyone can
identify an event in their life that has staggered them, made them feel
helpless.
Allow me to share an exercise I give my students in the Stress Management class. They are to submit a quotation or passage that they found to be inspirational and motivating, and include a 1-2 page explanation as to why the saying had meaning to them, and how it affected their actions.
Okay, dear reader, time to do your homework… Select your favorite quote and answer these two questions for yourself: What this quote means to me, and How this quote affects my life. Would love to have you share response with me.
