Yesterday marked the Summer Solstice here in the northern hemisphere, and with that the longest day of the year.

![0043-Sunset.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/denmarkguy/23zSE3ACNmcd9cvjXtgYXCv6YSKJki5TBkci3mqxS9AqAikJazAzRRbzpvNKwZ93ddYb1.jpg)

From this point forward, the days slowly will start getting shorter until we arrive back at the Winter Solstice.

I've always found it interesting that in some parts of the world this marks the *beginning* of summer, while in others we are talking about *midsummer.*

Perhaps what I enjoy the most about this time of the year is the extremely long days. Growing up in Denmark, I remember well how this time of the year marked the arrival of the *"pale nights,"* the 6-week spell centered around the Solstice when it doesn't truly get *entirely* dark.

![0068-Petunias.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/denmarkguy/48SMhUcrhXkWGj7TEyMeYsBxHcUasahHPeYBGeoFWdFLGY2pqmGiaxVULEZiJeEw75.jpg)

As a youth, I remember writing my bicycle home from friends' houses well past midnight and the northern sky would still be pink and golden near the horizon, and I could clearly see where I was going even though it was technically speaking *"night."*

I spent many years living far further south *(the south of Spain and Texas)* where the difference between the length of the day in summer and winter isn't that great. I don't know if it's built into our genetics or something else, but it never felt quite *"right"* on some level.

These days, Mrs Denmarkguy and I make our home in the US Pacific Northwest, which also has very long days in the middle of the summer. Perhaps they're not as extreme as in Denmark, but on some level it makes me feel more at home here.

![0280-Strawberry.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/denmarkguy/23wCGNTpCLbHmQXVCGUin4gJg4UFWkXKAS5YijzJsSrj99V7TcFu4XtaDATrGNLNxEiRi.JPG)

If we were still in Denmark, tomorrow we would be celebrating Sankt Hans. This is basically the Danish equivalent of a Midsummer Festival. Sadly, according to my cousin, there aren't going to be any bonfires this year because of prolonged drought in Denmark.

One of the things I have noticed about myself during the summer is that it almost feels like my body and my whole system slows down. Maybe that's just a natural human response because we have to be awake and active for much longer because of the long days. After all, you can't expect somebody to keep running!

Of course, I pretty much *have* to keep running because I'm self-employed and when you're in business for yourself most of the time your customers don't really *care* whether it's your summer holiday or not. *"The early bird gets the worm"* and all that rot!

![0629-StrawberryBlossom.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/denmarkguy/48SMMD4tnnMfenhtsF3kxBruKNS1VswrNWcd86UXctya7tiq7dE9EkNDMDqZ7S314M.JPG)

Still, when summer rolls around I can't help but sit back and contemplate whether or not all the running and all the hard work we engage in is really worth it. Do we actually *gain* something we truly want? Or would we benefit from simply *slowing down* and accepting that we would be perfectly content with *"less?"*

Not claiming to have an *answer,* but it feels like questions worth asking...

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful Friday!

***Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation! I do my best to answer comments, even if it sometimes takes a few days!***

![HivePanda.gif](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/denmarkguy/nnhCakFg-Hive-Panda.gif)

<hr>

*Greetings bloggers and social content creators! This article was created via PeakD, a blogging application that's part of the Hive Social Content Experience. If you're a blogger, writer, poet, artist, vlogger, musician or other creative content wizard, come join us! Hive is a little "different" because it's not run by a "company;" it operates via the consensus of its users and your content can't be banned, censored, taken down or demonetized. And that COUNTS for something, in these uncertain times! So if you're ready for the next generation of social content where YOU retain ownership and control, come by and* ***[learn about Hive and make an account!](https://peakd.com/register?ref=denmarkguy)***

<p><center>
<img src="https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/denmarkguy/Qc01EJMw-PeakD-Hive.jpg">
</center></p>

<p><center>
Proud member of the <a href="https://peakd.com/c/hive-106316/created">Silver Bloggers Community</a> on Hive!
<img src="https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mondoshawan/23xAs3PPA5FQ7tWo2evAjBtmbqdSSfZGpNkCxr9NPkdJiHkJSz5j3xLxKvhP9NGUMW6Rk.jpg" alt="Silverbloggers Logo" />
</center></p>

*(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly and uniquely for this platform — NOT posted anywhere else!)
Created at 2023-06-23 01:04 PDT*
***0865/2120***