Happy first day of summer!
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By DERON SNYDER (for SRB Communications)
If summer represents a more relaxed and easygoing spell – perhaps with a vacation thrown in – nothing beats the season’s initial day.
Although many people flip their seasonal switch on Memorial Day, the first day of summer offers a unique benefit. Also known as the summer solstice, it stands out as the longest day on the calendar, this year June 20 in the Northern Hemisphere. Those of us along the equator see roughly 12 hours of daylight, while individuals 40 degrees north get about 15 hours to enjoy.
More than an astronomical fact, the first day of summer is an unofficial holiday. It’s been celebrated for thousands of years around the world, evidenced by phenomenal monuments in countries such as England, Egypt and Peru. It kicks off the busiest time of year for barbecues and beaches, with plenty of fairs, festivals and fireworks to choose from.
While New Year’s Day often leads to resolutions on exercise, diet and weight, the first day of summer often reveals one’s level of adherence to the plans. It starts the stretch when ice cream tastes sweeter, ice water seems colder and (with climate change and whatnot) everyone feels hotter.
George Gershwin wrote Summertime for the folk opera Porgy and Bess, calling it a period where “the living is easy.” DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince concurred 50 years later, and we agree with their instructions for the season:
“Time to sit back and unwind. Summertime.”
