Solstice

It's midwinter's day here in the southern hemisphere - June solstice - and I've got nothing nice to say about it. From tomorrow the days start getting longer, the nights start getting shorter, and we go into that inescapable ... [something]... towards summer again. I can't find the "something" word but you know what I mean.

It's inescapable, we are on the way to summer again and there is no escape. (Yes, technically anybody with brains, means and gumption could skip summer by going to the opposite hemisphere, but that's not what I wanted to say.)

Realistically I know there's no point getting upset about the turning of the seasons because such change is inevitable, it's ongoing, it happens every damn year, so reacting against that is just stupid. But I do it anyway. It's like I'm standing on a beach yelling "Turn back the tide! Turn back the tide!" even as the water is lapping at my ankles. It's stupid. I am stupid to do it.

But on the other hand, part of me admires lost causes, the hopeless fights, striving against inevitable losses, blah blah etc. I like imagining myself standing on that beach screaming at the sea. It's a very romantic notion, not least because in real life I'd never do it.

And maybe that's what's going on: a dispute between a romantic need for expression ("I hate summer!! boo hoo!!") and a rational need to consider actions and consequences (there being no point in whingeing about summer because it's coming anyway). And looked at in that way, this whole post is silly because there's no need for a dispute. The romantic action of screaming at the ocean would have an entirely legitimate and rational outcome: I would feel better. It would only be a stupid thing to do if I expected it to change the shape of the ocean. And I wouldn't. So! No problem!!

Gee. That was so easy! Thanks, reader. Nice doing business with you.