I had visions of having a fairly large get together tonight, a group of friends sitting around a picnic table, eating canteloupe and honeydew melons while enjoying each other's company as well as the late evening light of the sun. Unfortunately, most of the people I know who would be interested in celebrating Litha (Summer Solstice) seem to not enjoy group gatherings all that much. So, it was just Misti and myself, and that turned out to be really awesome.

First, Misti, Steve, and I all went out to dinner at the sushi place near their home. It's the best sushi EVER. Seriously. So good. I ate $25 worth of sushi all by my freakin' self, and it was definitely worth every penny! At the end of our meal, they brought us each a tiny bowl of pineapple pieces in pineapple juice, and a toothpick with which to eat them. Delicious!

Then Misti and I set out on a walk together by the resevoir. It was dusk, and the horizon was a beautiful golden-orange color as the sun set behind the hills. We walked the trail as the sky grew gradually darker. At one point, we sat down on a picnic table, staring out across the water, and I wished I'd brought my camera. Beyond the resevoir was the silhouette of a plateau. In front of us, at the water's edge, two ducks sat together among the grasses and reeds, and all you could see were the blackened shapes of everything, with a beautiful orange hue glowing behind them. "This is what summer should always feel like," I said to Misti. The serenity of the scene, the quiet, peaceful atmosphere, the warm weather accompanied by a cool breeze, and the beauty of nature surrounding us seemed to capture the essence of summertime so perfectly. I loved sitting there, just absorbing it all.

We continued walking, mostly in darkness. The sun set while we were outside, and the stars came out, lighting our way along with the half moon hanging in the sky. I smiled as we walked, and I silently welcomed and embraced the arrival of Summer.

When I was younger, this season held a lot of fear for me. I associated the long hours and the blazing sunshine with mosquito bites, oppressive humidity, and heat stroke. Now, I'm letting all of that go, and for the first time in my life, I'm allowing myself to relax in the heat and enjoy these months. Summertime doesn't have to be scary. Summertime can be about swimming pools, margaritas, late evening strolls, drinking refreshing ice water, having picnics, eating fruits, laying in the grass, running through sprinklers and giggling (something else we did tonight!), and relaxing with friends. Summertime can be about watching the ducks by the pond at dusk with a great friend and knowing everything in life is just wonderful, exactly as it is.