The Gift of Koselig with Sarah Deer
At 27, Sarah Deer was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. By 33, she faced a metastatic recurrence. An English language arts teacher turned librarian, Sarah now lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband, Ryan.
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The Gift of Koselig
What if coziness could become a survival strategy?
Sarah Deer was first diagnosed with Stage III, ER+ PR+ breast cancer at 27. At 33, she experienced a recurrence and is now living with metastatic breast cancer. In today’s episode, she shares how a single Norwegian word became an anchor in the long night of terminal diagnosis.
“A decade later, I've come back to koselig. As I navigate life with a Stage IV diagnosis, it is a concept that's brought me comfort in this stark season of my life that's so saturated with survival.”
Through handmade mittens, candlelight, cross-country skis, sourdough crusts, and long winter walks, Sarah explores what it means to seek warmth without denying the cold. This is a story about grief and joy coexisting. About tending the hearth. About savoring what still flickers.
“In the season of darkness that accompanies a difficult diagnosis, it is imperative to seek these moments of joy.”
If you are living inside your own longest night, this episode is an invitation to lean toward what steadies you — not to fix the discomfort, but to sit beside it.
Writing Prompt Inspired by Today’s Episode
Set your timer for eight minutes, write without stopping or editing yourself. There is magic in leaning into that time. The prompt is:
Write about your own version of koselig — the practice or ritual that brings warmth in a cold season of life.
What offers comfort without trying to fix the discomfort? What do you return to, year after year, as a way of remembering that joy is still possible? What word, object, or small gesture — like a pair of mittens — reminds you that you’re still connected?
If you find that you write best with a good prompt, check out our free prompts and learn about our writing workshops.
Happy writing! Until next time, take good care.
Episode Links
Read a transcript of this episode.
Purchase the “The Second Time Around” issue of Wildfire Journal.
More about our episode sponsors: Young Survival Coalition and Rethink Breast Cancer
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