Shorter and Shorter

Today is the day after the summer solstice which means that yesterday was the longest day of the year for those of us in the northern hemisphere. It also means that the days now start to get shorter and shorter. I'm in LA again and there cloud is completely overcast. I learned yesterday that the locals call it "June Gloom". Who knew? I always had this expectation that LA was sunny pretty much all of the time. I am stunned and a little relieved to know that the sun even takes a break in LA.

On a macroscopic level, the sun has begun in yearly retreat in the northern hemisphere. Six months from now we will be lucky to get 9 hours of sunlight in a day whereas we enjoy well over 15 hours. That's a big difference but it illustrates the pattern of effort and renewal. It is a pattern that we should embrace. We can't keep going at full tilt day after day without taking a reprieve. It's not sustainable. And yet, culturally we make no allowance for this reality. Taking time out always allows you to be more productive when you return. That's the basis for the concept of a vacation. I have begun to practice this pattern and have literally started scheduling downtime into my life. I assure you that those times become the foundation for bursts of quantum growth.