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| Even those who live in Polar Night still "find the light." |
The days are quickly becoming shorter here. In June we have close to 18 wonderful hours of daily sunlight, but in August? About 16. Near the end of September? Around 11. In December? A mere 7. But I'll take those seven and send good thoughts to the Canadians (and all northerners) who live north of the Arctic Circle.
I don't mean to get ahead of myself, but if you live in the North, it's a bit like being a sunflower—everyday you notice, and you turn to the sun, with gratitude.
Do you know the sunflower theory? It's a lovely story, unscientific, but warmhearted fiction. Young sunflowers do indeed turn east daily, seeking the sun (heliotropism), but the story tells that at night, sunflowers will turn to face each other, seeking the sun in a partner. Although a winning metaphor for how to find solace in each other during dark times, it is fiction.
But finding the light in your (northern or elsewhere) surroundings (and friends) no matter the circumstances? Or blooming where you're planted? Let's be honest: those notions seem rooted in reason, wise, and like sunflowers, down-to-earth.
Speaking of sunflowers, I haven't seen any this year. As for rain clouds, there are plenty of those around. :)
ReplyDeleteWith your summer heat wave, I assume the rain is welcome. In eight or nine days, t rained ONCE while we were in Ireland in late June, early July.
DeleteI've noticed the days are getting shorter, which means that eventually the hot summer weather has to end.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's not just a northern experience, is it? Yet in the north it's extra.
DeleteWe have some lights on timers. We already need to set them earlier and will keep repeating until December.
ReplyDeleteDecember is closer than we'd like to think, isn't it?
Delete...you live at 51.05 N and I live at 43.16 N. That's quite a difference, but being in the Great Lakes area, for us the sun is MIA for extended periods of time in winter. When it suddenly appears, it's a JOY!
ReplyDeleteYes, you know this feeling then...but I live around 56, not 51.
DeleteWhat a charming myth about what sunflowers do at night! I've never heard it before.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I think I read it on another blog.
DeleteWhat you're saying tells me there inly a couple good walking months for me and I'd better get serious about finding a free hour-long salsa workout on YouTube. -Kate
ReplyDeleteNot at all, lol, you're further south than me, so you probably have lots of time, like maybe a day or two of good sunlight than I do, ha.
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