In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. ~Albert Camus
Like many of us, I read Albert Camus’ works in high school and college, but I pigeonholed him into the role of philosopher/writer, offering a somewhat gloomy and bleak picture of humankind. So, I was surprised by this quote and the article about Camus by the writer/philosopher, Maria Popova, whose blog Brain Pickings provides thousands of us with a weekly feast of inspiration.
Maria reminds us that our present-day challenges are far from unique. Sadly, we’ve been in this predicament before in recent history, stuck in what she calls–the “winter of the human spirit.”
At these low points, it’s tempting to fall into a morass of helplessness. But she reminds us of Albert Camus’ wise words in his essay “The Almond Trees,” written during the Second World War at the peak of its destructiveness and brutality. This essay appearing in the collection Lyrical and Critical Essays is now on my bookshelf. His words are an appeal to us, to dig deep, to summon our true strength and power:
Each time our world cycles through a winter of the human spirit, Camus remains an abiding hearth of the invisible summer within us, his work a perennial invitation to reinhabit our deepest decency and live up to our most ennobled nature.–Maria Popova
I’ve taken their words to heart. On our walks the past two weeks through Holland State Park, I thought of them as I captured these images of flowers blooming. Now more than ever, their delicate, transient beauty fills me with wonder and hope.
Petal Diptych. Shot with a Canon 70D. Holland State Park, MI.
I won’t lie–it’s a challenge to dig deep, to stay focused, thoughtful, and intent on giving our best to the world. But it’s essential. Otherwise, we’re living on the surface of life, rocked by the daily political storms, drama, and violence.
How do you remain focused? How do you stay true to your creative purpose? Do you use meditation, exercise, journaling? Do you turn off the alerts on your cell phone? Set aside time to focus on your creative pursuits? I’d love to know!
Click here to read Maria Popova’s article: Albert Camus on Strength of Character by Maria Popova
These images are also my submission to Leanne Cole’s weekly photo challenge Monochrome Madness.
This is the fifth Moonbeam, a series open to everyone who wants to penetrate the murkiness of divisive rhetoric and fear-mongering that defines our age. My hope is that together we can create a virtual space that will startle us with its beauty, hope, and vision of what is possible. To read other Moonbeams click on the embedded link.
Categories: Moonbeams, Photography
P.A. Moed 
My garden and nature serve as my sanctuary from the the “winter of the human spirit.”
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Wonderful, Sally. Nature can always inspire!
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Yes, yes, yes…
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What a nice idea is Moonbeams. 🙂 I love the quote. It’s hammering with rain outside. I tend to live in my own bubble, head in the sand, but some things are inescapable, Patti.
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So true, Jo. Some things are inescapable. I guess I’m so wrapped up in researching a new book, set in 1940 in the USA, that the parallels to the present time are inescapable. So glad you love the quote. 🙂 Hope the rain stops soon!
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I think I need to do a moonbeam for you
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I have two in mind
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http://wp.me/s8HyZd-memories my new blog please go through it
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I always loved that quote! And this was a good post for me to read at this time!!! Thanks Patti!
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I’m so glad I had good timing and this resonated with you. Be well.
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and you!! 🙂
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I love this quote, and also Maria Popova’s website. I’m glad to have found your blog 🙂
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So glad you stopped by, Oneblacktree. I’ll pop over to your site too. Isn’t Maria great? I always find something to ponder and inspire me in her blog.
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She is! My book collection keeps growing since discovering her.
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Thank you for the encouragements – as always something to keep in mind and treasure! Nature is my Friend and great Love and inspiration – and I do love that quote.
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Camus is deeply reassuring, which is not typically associated with French existentialism and ventures into absurdism. Nothing matters… So everything matters.
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Intriguing comment, que! I have never thought of Camus that way, but then again, his essays express a view that seems quite different from his novels. I appreciate your thoughts!
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Albert Camus is indeed well known for his ideas on absurdism. But little is known about his ‘few and constant sincere friends’, one of which is fellow Nobel Prize winner Jacques Monod. I touched on this friendship on a short blog post in this blog post. Click here –> https://thisandthat404.wordpress.com/2017/06/23/what-do-albert-camus-and-jacques-monod-have-in-common/
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