19 Comments

It's a relief to hear the 'particular madness' of this time of year articulated so well. I've had a similar feeling and been grasping for the words to talk about it. Thanks for this lovely reflection.

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Thank you for this! Now with climate change I feel so much existential dread on long hot summer days and it’s hard when so many other people seem to love to soak in the sun. But extremes do send me off kilter, so this helps me give language to that feeling.

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This was an exquisite read - thank you. I so enjoyed your perspective, as I actually love midsummer so much, I never want to let it go. Perhaps having been born close to it partly explains my feelings. And knowing it’ll soon pass makes me a little melancholic!

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Jun 21, 2022Liked by Katherine May

When I lived on the Isle of Lewis for two years, I quite honestly went a bit mad each summer. I'd wake at 3 am with the first glimmer of sunlight, believing I'd slept through my alarm. Or I'd find myself outside gardening at 10:30 pm when all I wanted to do was fall asleep. My body and mind were utterly confused.

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Jun 17, 2022Liked by Katherine May

Thank you for this. It so well articulated how this season has felt for me. The rush and crush of too much has been amplified by the fact that I have a book releasing ON the solstice, June 21st. So, I’ll be celebrating solstice by watching the sunset at the end of a big day, remembering the rhythm that we all must rest before we rise.

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Jun 17, 2022Liked by Katherine May

New subscriber here. So well said, "particular madness" with "unsteady balance" between. I always feel like this time of year holds so much pressure with the long hours of blaring sunlight and so much to do with so little energy. Thank you for putting it into words.

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Exactly this. Morning and evening bright blinding light. There’s some being about it (and when it’s deep winter too, with dark mornings and dark nights) that feels so oppressive.

I have slowly but surely being trying to life my life more cyclically. I used to struggle with ‘my winter’ so much and then I had my third baby last December was unwell before and afterwards with different ailments. Being forced into winter for 9 months now I’ve made friends with it....and now I can’t abide it’s polar opposite, summer. A reason (101) for my ‘summer sabbatical’ from Instagram is because I don’t look forward to summer, I don’t like summer, I don’t want to dress scantily and I don’t want to embrace it and it’s heat.

And this is exactly how I used to winter (except the clothes off part). So I have hope but in the meantime, I am embracing my winter of life, one menstrual cycle of summer each month is enough for me.

But all that said, yes, I will be celebrating summer solstice! It marks 6 months since my daughter was born on winter solstice, which is special. But I will set up an altar of sorts, plan a scavenger hunt with the children, stay up late and star gaze, eat outside, let them get their hands dirty and plant something new and give thanks to Mother Earth, basically tune into nature that but more!

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This is so beautifully written. And I too look forward to inching my way toward the despair of midwinter - at least THAT despair I can do in pajamas.

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Jun 16, 2022Liked by Katherine May

Thanks Katherine, I was wondering why I felt so aimless and weighed down and at the same time weightless! It’s good to remember it’s an extreme time and be patient for change. Beautifully put ☺️

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How lovely to have a solstice baby! It’s all about adapting isn’t it? And noticing how each part of the year makes you feel.

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