By Nikki Starcat Shields,
The Summer Solstice is a paradox. This holiday is known as Midsummer, yet here in Maine, the summer weather is barely getting started. Just as it finally gets warm enough to swim outdoors, the days begin to grow shorter. The wheel of the year turns, and the darker half of the year begins. There are little hints of fall within the fullness of our summer bloom.
Here at the official start of summer, the flora, whether in the wild or in our carefully-tended gardens, is flourishing. The animals and birds are reproducing. We just saw a nesting pair of eagles in the cove at camp, and some ducks following their mother carefully. In our woods at home, there are baby mice and adolescent porcupines.
Yet summer is a fleeting time. Perhaps it’s a finely-honed metaphor for the swift passing of life itself. The fae spirits of the land are alive and active now. The portals between worlds are open—but only for a limited time.
Remember the Aesop’s fable of the ants and the grasshopper? While the sturdy, reliable ants work through the warmest part of the year, storing food for winter, the grasshopper plays his fiddle. The tale favors the ants, painting the grasshopper as a fool for not thinking of his future (hungry) self.
In our current culture, though, many of us have become tireless ants. In the original tale, the grasshopper says, “I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone.” Think about how often we hear people lament the summer passing so quickly that it was over before they had a chance to swim, hike, camp, or simply enjoy their own backyard as much as they’d wished. The pendulum has swung more to work than play.
The paradox of summer beginning just as the days grow shorter urges us to be more like the grasshopper. Take time off. Go outside. Don’t always be thinking about the future, at least not so much that you miss this precious moment.
Bring more adventure into your life while the weather is welcoming and everything is blooming. Go for that hike, take out the kayaks, or embark on that road trip. Pick fresh strawberries.
In Maine, some of us proclaim that we can’t enjoy summer in our state because there are too many tourists. So what? People-watching can be fun. Or maybe you can dig deeper, finding the less well-known nature spots where you can camp, walk, or swim.
At least for now, while everything is alive and growing, set aside those ant family values. Enjoy some live music at an outdoor venue. Pack a fancy picnic basket and lug it to the water’s edge. Camp out in the backyard.
Let the turning of the wheel propel you into cherishing what you love about this gorgeous place. Instead of constantly looking to what’s “wrong” - like traffic, humidity, and mosquitoes - relish these delightful days in paradise. May summer fill you with an abundance of delights!
Nikki Starcat Shields is an author, writing coach, and leader of transformational writing retreats. She's also a licensed Pagan priestess. Nikki teaches people to be Thriving Artists, writing their heartfelt books while also nurturing themselves and their creative lives. She lives in Hollis, Maine and adores reading, cats, and spending time by the ocean. She can be found at www.nikkistarcatshields.com.
Hammock photo by John Evans