Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May is a gentle, grounding exploration of what it means to endure life’s most challenging seasons. When unexpected hardships arrive—illness, loss, burnout, or profound change—it can feel as though the ground has shifted beneath your feet. In this deeply personal narrative, May shares a period in her own life marked by her husband’s illness, her son stepping away from school, and her decision to leave a demanding job due to her own health struggles.

Rather than rushing through this painful chapter, Wintering invites readers to slow down and listen. Drawing wisdom from literature, mythology, and the rhythms of the natural world, May reframes these low moments as essential seasons of rest and retreat. Through reflections on solstice celebrations, hibernating animals, and the quiet wisdom found in stillness, she shows how illumination can emerge even in the darkest months.

Comforting, thoughtful, and beautifully written, Wintering is a reminder that rest is not a failure—but a necessary act of care. It’s a meaningful read for anyone navigating change, grief, or exhaustion, and a reassuring companion for learning how to honor life’s quieter seasons with compassion and grace.

A portion of our profits go to Memories From Monroe, a nonprofit organization that creates memory boxes for families experiencing infant and pregnancy loss in Michigan.

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