by Mary Bubbins

Created on: June 15, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

As is the case with many holidays and occassions of celebration, there is a technical meaning behind them. The summer solstice is no exception, as on or around June 21, we experience the longest day and shortest night of the year. It is an extremely important time of year for those who follow the religion of Wicca, as in ancient customs their ancestors would leap over fires, believing that the higher they jumped, the higher their crops would grow. But you do not have to be a Wiccan to love, appreciate and be grateful for this spectacular time of year.

While each of our four seasons offers something to love, the start of summer is something that I have always treasured the most. It is the one season when you can count on the re-birth of many wonderful elements that our earth has to offer us, as long as we take the time to stop and really appreciate them. The sun as it shines so bright and beautiful everyday in the sky, the days of getting down and dirty as you carefully nurture the seeds in the garden that you started in the spring, the wildflowers that grow on instinct, without the help of anything but mother nature.

For myself it has always meant a special time for family unity. Whether it be via reunions with relatives that you have lost time with due to distance or camping trips with your children and husband, the summer season has a magical effect on everyone as it seemingly breathes new life into complacent souls.

I love my ability to set new goals now because I seem to have the desire to follow through with them. It is almost as if I am a snake shedding its skin and I am ready to face whatever challenges come my way. It's inexplicable to a degree, but all I can say is that my power of will is stronger during this time of year than it is during anyother.

Not too long ago, a bird nest next to my house was touched my a child and the parents no longer wanted to care for the babies that were left in the nest. So for two days, I cared for these chicks, holding them as I fed them with a popsicle stick. When I talked to them , they looked at me as if they understood what I was saying to them. This process of bonding with an element of nature amazed me and warmed me deep into my heart. When they were ready to leave my nest and fly, they flew, but they still come back and sit by my door, and when I talk to them, they cock their heads as if they know my voice. This is what the summer solstice means to me. It means a time of new life, a time to bond with nature and to appreciate what surrounds us every day. I had a special opportunity to feel a connection with nature with my baby birds and now I take nothing for granted with my natural environment.

Life is about memories, it's about living every day to its fullest and loving as if it were your last. For me, the summer solstice has allowed me to make some of the most cherished memories of my life.

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