The longest day of the year...

Dear Faithful Readers,

Today is the summer solstice. The longest day of the year. And while that may not offer much significance to you in your present ring of latitude, it means dusk at 10:52 pm in Holland.

If I may complain about such a wonderful thing for just a moment, I will note that it is this phenomenon - this seemingly unnatural length of day - that stirred me from near-sleep in my comfortable and warm bed. And now, I have gotten up, gone downstairs (without needing to turn on a light, mind you), picked up my electronic writing desk, and trudged back upstairs to settle in with you now.

So, if I may presume that you are happy to be reading from me once again, and you have yet to count yourself grateful for a single thing in this day, be glad that today is, indeed, the longest day of the year.

Oh friends. So many things afoot in recent months. So many emotions and experiences that, based on previously determined mores, I would deem write-worthy. And yet I delayed the gratification of telling for so long that with each passing day of silence, the task became more and more about administration, and less and less about the beauty of life shared.

But, inspired by the determination of the daylight to continue to both stretch AND stay her course, here I am. Husband sleeping. Dog sleeping. My body is sleeping. But my mind is alert and my interest in writing renewed.

Surely, this task will take many days to unfold. But if you are here reading this, I'm hoping you will desire to check back in the coming days and partake in my self-indulgent reach across counties and oceans to share with you.

Thanks for the patience.

Lovingly,
Awake in Amsterdam