June signals the season where those of us in the Northern hemisphere roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Whether you are a fan of soda, pretzels, and beer or prefer tofu salad and herbal tea with a twist of organic lemon, it is a wonderful feeling to dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer.
In ways not fully grasped by all of us, being able to remain positive when things are challenging is an attitude made easier when the sun is shining and the days are long. Midsummer is an ancient celebration, taking place somewhere between June 21 and 25. In the cultures of Scandinavia, Finland, and the Baltics, apart from Christmas, it is the most celebrated holiday. They celebrate with bonfires, feasting, singing, and dancing.
The Summer Day
by Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean—
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
This summer day, be sure you make good use of your one wild and precious life. Look into the eyes of a stranger and recognize him or her as a spiritual partner. Honor the fact that the ants have as much of a right to come to your picnic as you do. Look up at the sun with an open heart and mind and celebrate this month of the longest day of the year. Days don’t really start getting shorter, but it is true that it is always best to make hay while the midsummer sun shines….