June 27, 2006
The Lightness of Being
This Juhannus (the longest day/shortest night) we spent at Taku's mokki (summer cottage). Midsummer is a very special day for most Finnish people. First of all, of course, its the longest day in a year. In Finland it means that the sun barely goes down under the horizon and it stays light throughout the night.
Most of the people go to their summer cottages with their families or friends, so if you don't have your own cottage and are not invited to someone else's place, most likely you'll feel depressed - the cities look really deserted. Depending on the company, you'll either feast on lots and lots of food...
...or lots and lots of beer...
Or both. The weekend continues 3 days and, I guess, its a given that you won't sleep much during that time. You'll be busy preparing food, grilling, boating, fishing, going to sauna, swimming, etc.
And, of course, you'll be busy "just being". This is what many Finns say they do in their summer cottages. I don't remember anyone putting it so nicely anywhere else before coming to Finland. People don't rest, have a good time, travel, do sports when they're on holiday, not even watch time passing. They "just are". We're just about to go to our mokki to "just be" for a week or so... When was the last time you "just were"? :)