Today is a special day for me:It’s the Summer solstice. I’m not a sun or nature worshiper, but  I love summer because I love daylight. I’m energized by getting a lot done in a day,  and there’s nothing that says carpe diem more than the longest day of the year. In the northern hemisphere it happens to be today. We’ll have 14h 37m 25s worth of light in beautiful Brentwood, TN. And I’m going to celebrate it by squeezing everything I can out of this long day.

But as I try to curb my enthusiasm, I understand that not everyone feels the same about it. While I’ll be up at 4:30 so that by 5:00 I can be running the neighborhood before hitting the gym at 6 and getting to work by 8 a.m., some are dreading the long day.

I don’t know where you are on this one, but however difficult yesterday might have been today is a new day. Much like golf, which I hope to find a way to play later on, where each hole is a new beginning, each day is an opportunity to start fresh. Sure our problems, challenges and difficulties don’t vanish overnight, but a new day brings along with it hope. Nothing seems more hopeful to a Brazilian than a very long sunny summer day.

Whether you have given any thought to the summer solstice or not,  I’d like for you to think of all the great things you can accomplish with the extra daylight today and join me in a celebration of the gift of hope this day brings.

What are you going to do with the extra daylight?