Summer Solstice

Yesterday was the summer solstice -- the longest day of the year, the first day of summer.  It was also Father's Day.  What a wonderful day -- so many excuses to celebrate.  I know that a lot of people look at Father's Day as just another gimmick promoted by the card industry.  And I also know that summer in northeast Ohio is unpredictable, as are spring, winter and fall.  But it is still a time to celebrate.  Daylight hung around until 9:30 PM or so, affording us the opportunity to have dinner in the back yard, then to roast marshmallows in the fire pit.  We would have had evening coffee by the lake except the wind was out of the northeast and it was a bit too cool to be comfortable.  In fact, it was downright cold by the lake, so the backyard it was.

But there is a sad feeling to the summer solstice, too.  It is the longest day of the year.  From here until December 21st or so, each day will get shorter and shorter.  We will lose a small fraction of the daylight that is so precious; and the sun, if it shines, will be lower and lower in the sky.  However, I intend to make the most of the daylight we do have every day (well OK, maybe not the early morning hours) even if it's only to sit on the swing by the lake and read a book.  I don't want to waste a minute (see previous parenthesis); because there are only so many minutes alloted in a day.  Once they're gone, they can never be recaptured.  It is up to each of us to enjoy them.