When I was young I thought that treasure was hidden in big old trunks and found either on desert islands or in sunken ships. Today, however, my fortune was the gold mirrored in the pool and hidden in the branches of a nearby spruce tree. Light is a treasure conveyed in many shapes and sizes, but only once a year, as the sun reaches its northernmost set, does it reach the inner sanctum of these boughs.

Around the globe, ancient and modern cultures have honored the sun, and celebrated four cardinal dates each year: the two equinoxes, and the two solstices. Solstice actually means "sun stands still". The summer solstice, usually falling on the 21st or 22nd of June, is perhaps the grandest occasion of all in the northern hemisphere, the day the sun is at the highest point and the longest duration in the sky. Pagan celebrations on this day often included fertility festivals, whose contemporary legacy is the popularity of June weddings.

What treasure awaits you today? Where is your Treasure Island? It could be as close as your recognition of the sacredness of the sun or the qualities of its golden light. My wish for you is that the weather allows you to be outdoors, and if, like me, you live in the north, you treasure the longest day.