Summer Solstice Reflections

June 21, 2026

Today is officially the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, when the daylight is longest and the darkness is shortest. For me the summer solstice always seems part way through the summer because our culture in the US views summer and the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It corresponds to the opening of neighborhood pools and weekday openings of local theme parks.

Officially, summer began this morning at 4:24 am. I was sound asleep, but thanks to modern technology I was able to watch a video of the sunrise at Stone Henge a few hours after the event took place. A broadcast is available this evening when the sunsets as well. Perhaps this time, I will see it live? In my empty nest years, I find that I am more interested in seasonal astronomy and celestial events with planetary alignments and meteor showers. Truly this interest is returning after many years of being too busy to take note of such things.

This June, I have found myself looking upward on all my walks. The sky and the trees have fascinated me through storms and fair weather. I love the way the leaves seem to dance in the breeze. The deciduous leaves in Richmond are a rich kaleidoscope of greens, ranging from emerald to sage to a deep hunter green. Have they always been so vibrant? It seems there is less humidity and pollution this week, and the sky has been a gorgeous cerulean blue. When present, the clouds have been pristine puffs of white.

With the recent rain and morning breezes, there has been a freshness to the air that I don’t recall in past years. Maybe I was moving too fast to notice, or perhaps the magnolias and roses truly are more fragrant lately? Each morning, I am overwhelmed by beauty on my neighborhood walk. Some days I have gone further a field and walked in neighborhoods on the other side of a major road that is difficult to cross in rush hour. Once I took a stroll through a nearby nature park. On each walk my eyes were drawn upward to the majestic trees and the shifting clouds in the sky.

I am sure that being free of work has given me the chance to pause and notice more of the world around me. But I have had summers off for most of my adult life as a career educator. Perhaps, knowing that I am not returning to school in the fall is a factor? I keep wondering if I will enjoy leisurely walks in October and November when the light shifts and the air becomes  crisp. It will be different when I am not rushed to squeeze in my walk after work and before dinner. I think I could enjoy seeing the daylight regularly and picking the time of day to walk when the temperature suits me best.

I hope I will continue to notice the trees and the sky more in the coming months and years. For decades I have focused mostly on what is right in front of me and the next task that must be accomplished. It would be good to be more mindful of the world around me, to bask in the seasonal changes and to allow myself to luxuriate in the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of each season.

For now, I will take time to notice the gentle caress of the wind on my arms as I walk in the morning, and I will listen to the birds as they call to each other from the canopy above. I will pay attention to the beauty around me. I will let it refresh my spirit and comfort my soul.