Longing for Summer

Such is the lot of the Nordic tribes. Longing is an inherent trait, an ever-present emotion, in our hearts and minds.

And that which we long for most for much of the year is the summer. Or the promise of summer. Or the mere sensation of it. Our folk songbooks and hymnbooks all praise the summer with their wistful, longing lyrics. When referring to a beautiful girl you can say in Danish that "she was a mere 21 summers old". No need for years. How many summers have you lived? That is important.

When it is upon us, we forget everything else. We are ecstatic, giddy, silly. For the rest of the year, we long for it.

That is why this photo is so important. For this girl's skirt - one splash of yellow on a winter's day - is enough to keep us going for just a while longer. It is enough to quell our longing for a bit and nudge us over into expectation.