We have several ways of marking the seasons here in the United States. Memorial Day. Labor Day. The first and last day of school. Graduation. Vacation time. Summer break. Peak season. Shoulder season. Mosquito season. Spooky season. Harvest time. Spring Break. Tourist season. Snowbird season.

In fact, there are so many ways to delineate the time of the year, it’s sometimes hard to tell what season we’re actually in – especially here on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Last week’s temperatures surely convinced some folks we were already in Summer.

But if you pay close attention to the meteorologist of your choice, you might note that Summer officially begins… Today!

To be even more precise, it starts at 4:51pm today (20:51, Universal Time).

Solstices and Equinoxes

Not to further confuse the issue, but in Europe, today is actually referred to as midsummer. That’s understandable given that it’s the longest day of the year.

The technical term for this is the summer or estival solstice. When one of the earth’s magnetic poles is at it’s maximum tilt towards the sun, in this case the North Pole, it causes us to experience a day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year. The reverse happens in December when the winter solstice begins.

The seasons in between are marked by equinoxes – equal times. So the solstices are the far ends of the spectrum – most or least sun or dark, and equinoxes are right in the center.

Reflect or Reset or Both

As we mentioned a moment ago, many European countries celebrate this time of year as midsummer or midsommar (yes, like the weird horror movie). That’s because in ancient times, the people believed the changing of the seasons, atmospheric conditions, the positions of the sun, moon and stars were all executed by mysterious deities who controlled the celestial skies.

Many of their traditions were passed down even after we developed science and started understanding more about our world. They transformed into cultural events rather than worshipping or offering sacrifices for selfish, faceless gods.

Even as the Roman Empire and later Christianity spread across Europe, these traditions persisted. In some instances in secret, in others the early evangelists found ways of taking these practices and reinventing them in light of the Gospel.

Of course, some of these traditions moved to the “new world” of the Americas as Europeans settled here. But these practices aren’t just restricted to the Eastern world. Several countries and traditions mark their days and times by the weather or seasons. Some see the summer time as a good opportunity to get back into nature and embrace the outside world. And while some may have their roots in spiritual practices, they still have practical advantages.

Time For a Change?

Spring cleaning, for example, was once done to usher out the evil spirits that brought the cold and death to a community. Cleaning and sweeping away the darkness happened as the days got warmer and longer. Today, it’s a common practice that renews our homes – and sometimes minds and attitudes – as we look to a new year.

Similarly, the marking of the summer solstice in many cultures is a time of either reflection or resetting. The top motivational speakers in our modern world say much the same. You don’t have to wait to reset your “stinkin’ thinkin’.” But if it helps, use the beginning of the month, the first of the week, or the beginning of summer as a marker of the first day of the rest of your life.

So, whether you see today as a time to reflect on the past year, reset for the rest of the year, or connect more strongly to the planet we’ve been given stewardship over, the official launch of Summer can be a time for you to make a change.

In fact, what about a win-win-win? There’s one change that helps the planet, keeps your family safe, and clears out the pesky insects and arachnids that might have gotten into your living spaces. Our most popular solution – Go Green Perimeter Plus effectively takes care of ants, roaches, silverfish, spiders and more pesky problems. It’s safe for the planet and your family and pets. And there’s no better time to start than as the summer months hit. For more details or to schedule your first appointment, please give us a call!