Brother Sun has risen as high as possible here in the northern hemisphere. He has reached his peak, and now he must fall. I've written here before about how much I loved Reclaiming's summer solstice ritual at the beach in San Francisco, especially the moment when the sun slipped into the Pacific Ocean (or so it seemed). At just that moment, an archer shot an arrow with a lit sparkler attached, in a high arc over the sea. It looked like it was following the sun - really cool visual. It was very poetic, so beautiful, and fitting, too. I'm glad I was part of that when I was. Sweet.
Fast forward to summer solstice 2011 in Washington DC. It has been cloudy and moody here for the last few days, though the sky partially cleared last night just before sunset. I ran out into the middle of East Capitol street, faced west, and bid a hasty hail and farewell to spring.
Winter solstice is all about hope, about knowing the light will return. Summer solstice, in spite of how festive the landscape is, in spite of the magical short night of fireflies and soft air, is a melancholy day, at least for me. Maybe "bittersweet" is a better word. I would not want the days to continue getting longer and longer. But like most of my species, I love the light, so turning towards the dark, even though it's mostly an intellectual exercise at this point in the year, always makes me slightly wistful. Hence the image below.
Everything has a lifespan, everything. Onwards into the season of sultry heat and slowly declining days. Summer is here. OK. C'mon.
Screen capture from the first moments of the film "Brother from Another Planet." Sweet sweet film. When I saw this iconic image, tears came into my eyes.
11 comments:
True, everything has a lifespan. Everything ends. But I guess, there is some sort of a new beginning after each end.
The image of the twin towers brings so many memories. It is a beautiful one, the one you have here.
The film was made in 1984. That was another life! It really was. Very sweet film -
the wheel turns. I love the long days but our summer heat came so early this year. so now, will it get hotter even tho the days are shortening or will it just continue the same or by some miracle back off a bit. it always amazes me that the worst of the summer heat comes even as the days are getting shorter. oh brother sun, I do love you, but give us a break will ya?
I know how you are feeling. Tomorrow is my birthday. When I was a kid, I felt special to be born, on what was usually, the longest day of the year. Running around the yard in my PJs; catching fireflies in a jar... It was magical. I keep trying to recapture that joy, but the older I get, the less I look forward to the coming dark. Still, I will be grateful for each warm sunny day.
Reya, I wanted you to know how much I love your blog. I've been reading it for a long while. Your blogs about Jake really helped me get through my own loss of Cheyenne, my most beloved dog.
As I am a transplanted New Yorker, the twin towers images still alwys make me swell with emotion. To every thing turn, turn, turn...
Many blessings to you.
Thanks ravenstar and nice to meet you. My hair guy in sf was australian, born June 21. I always wondered what it was like - born at winter solstice then moving to a place where that same day is summer solstice .
Happy birthday !
And Ellen yeah -may he back off!
reya the skies here for the last few days have either been so clear they edge into purple or laced with the finest little fish, blue whale skeletons, angel wings, petalled tears. there's so much being opened up ... up above and down below. spring is so much about the letting go of the holding back. summer is so much about letting what arrives settle in and make its place in you. come on summer, come on in. steven
What a joy to return to your blog and be filled with the beauty of your insights once again!
The first photo on this post is absolutely incredible. I cannot get enough of it!
My favorite post by far is your memory of your papa yesterday. My goodness, you ARE experiencing some deep healing!
I'm so very happy to feel that.
Much love to you today.
Jo you can give yourself a serious pat on the back and you and a couple of other folks set me on this path a couple of months ago. THANK YOU!!
OK Steven, yeah. Bring it! C'mon.
Serious pat on the back (period.) No "and" ... Next sentence: you ...
The summer solstice always comes a little too early for me; I feel like it should be in mid-July. That must be because I follow the school year, and mid July marks the middle if the summer.
I wish I had seen that archer on the San Francisco Bay, but you have described it so beautifully that I can visualize it.
Everything has a lifespan - that may be what humans rail against most often - we want eternity! I find the summer solstice bittersweet, too - a good word, as it doesn't negate the love of light while mourning the loss of it.
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