Happy Summer Solstice aka Litha!

     Today is the first day of summer, when the sun enters the  tropic of Cancer, the longest day of the year and a Pagan Holiday. . Other names include mid-summer, St. Johns Day and Gathering Day. For Pagans it is a Lesser Sabbat or quarter day.

      This is a celebration of the sun as the Sun God is reached full power and the Goddess is in full pregnancy as the earth is ready for harvest. Since the year is now waning the Oak King who represents a growing youth and the waxing time of year gives over the reign to the Holly King, who represents the mature man and wanning year. Other deities that can be honored today include Amaterasu,Astarte, Aten, Apollo,Epona,Hestia, Horus, Istar,Juno,Lugh, Minerva, Ra, Sekhmet, Sol and Sulis. This is a short list, basically any Father God, Sun Deity or pregnant Goddess can be recognized during Litha.
     This is a time of fertility, growth, preparing for the harvest and handfastings. You can purify and renew you're spirit, commune with fairies, do divination, dedicate or re-dedicate yourself and celebrate your inner light!

The Dash by Linda Ellis

The Dash

by Linda Ellis

 

 

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend

 

He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

 

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,

 

But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

 

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.

 

And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

 

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,

 

What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

 

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?

 

For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

 

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real

 

And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

 

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more

 

And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

 

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile

 

Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

 

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash

 

Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

 

© 1996 All Rights Reserved, Linda Ellis