It’s nowhere near the middle of summer, those pavement and brain-melting days of early August, but ancient tradition demands we lay off the word “solstice” today, so as not to confuse us backward peasants into thinking we displeased some god or goddess of fertility or another, and Winter comes back too soon, so we use the Medieval term for Summer Solstice,
MIDSUMMER!
Also known as St. John’s Day, the official passage of Spring into Summer has been celebrated by mankind for as long as we have noticed something other than our appetites and our loins.
Once people got to thinking about things other than survival, we wanted everything to have a grand purpose, and so have assigned all sorts of deep meanings to every aspect of Nature.
Rooted in early mankind’s vulnerability to the vagaries of the weather, we danced when Spring broke winter’s icy group, again today when Spring gives way to balmy Summer, we’ll dance again when it’s Harvest Time, and again at Winter Solstice.
Whatever you believe, Summer Solstice still demands some sort of celebration and marks our lives in a very real way as we glide smoothly into our simplest, most carefree season, and our spirits remind us that Summertime is made for fun and relaxation.
Today a switch goes off in our heads that tells us to shift into low gear and enjoy Nature’s gifts after 3 seasons of toil, vigilance and peril, and lazy and irresponsible behavior is the way to go. That’s why we have crazy things like fireworks, hot dog eating contests and drinking binges. Because we can.
•Suggested Activities: Wiggle your toes in the sand.