We are having a glorious July where I live in Poland. There have been pleasantly warm days. The birds are singing. The beer is cool. So, why does a sense of melancholy keep snaking around my consciousness? Well, for various reasons. I can’t claim to be the world’s most cheerful man. But one reason is that we have passed the summer solstice – the longest day of the year.
I find myself wondering how on Earth it is July when March feels so recent
However warm and bright it is, the days will soon grow colder and darker. The best is behind us. The worst lies ahead. Today we are enjoying the sunshine in our shorts but tomorrow we will be shivering in the dark at 5 p.m. Irrational? Of course. We should enjoy the time we have instead of feeling gloomy about the times to come. ‘Tis wealth enough of joy for me / In summer time to simply be,’ wrote Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in