When the going gets tough … you know the rest

We Northern Hemisphere folk, with Beijingers being no exception, recently passed a major meteorological milestone on June 21, the start of summer north of the equator. It also closed the curtain on two other seasonal bookends — spring and sunshine.

It's not that our closest star stops shining on the advent of summer, indeed our solar overlord bludgeons us even more brutally with its bright beams for the next three months or so.

But the duration of the photon bombardment is shortened, beginning of all days on the first day of summer. It may seem counterintuitive to the unstudied observer, but it is an example, dear reader, of the "dark humor" this world sometimes metes out. So as the days — and nights — get hotter, the days get shorter and the nights longer. It's akin to a Rosie Ruiz phenomenon. You arrive near what you think is the finish line for spring only to instead find yourself standing on the finish line for extended daylight.

In 1980, poor Rosie thought she could burst out of the Boston crowd and sprint to marathon glory just a few yards ahead. But despite CCTV cameras being virtually nonexistent at the time, a fresh, non-panting, dry-browed Rosie faced a less than rosy future following her confession, with her reputation tarnished forever like a dried-up drooping daffodil.

We non-running, non-player character (NPC) sorts also have to accept the bitter dual-reality of a Summer Solstice with both ups and downs, like a bitter cough medicine, or a lemon cleanse concoction that leaves faces scrunched up.

Without getting too philosophical, this rather broadly encapsulates our everyday existence. No free lunches, a bitter pill to swallow, walk before you run, April showers bring May flowers — as did anti-Puritan sentiment in early 17th century England and Holland.

And who could forget calls for embracing a bootstrap mentality and getting right back on the horse that threw you off? Rome's last "good emperor", Marcus Aurelius (121-180), was the best known philosopher to also wear the purple.

Although none of these rather pat catchphrases can be traced back to the stoical sovereign, apparently another hackneyed trope decidedly did not apply to him, which is: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

For it was Aurelius' progeny, certainly no prodigy — Commodus — who succeeded his father to the Roman throne, and is broadly blamed for ushering in the expansive empire's slow, drawn-out demise.

The greats from yesteryear had plenty to say on the vagaries of life, and not just Roman emperors.

One of the most famous poems, and poets, to address the daily struggle that defines our existence, and perhaps even makes it all worth it, was written by Qu Yuan from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC): "The road is long and far, I will search up and down."

It epitomizes the enduring spirit of stick-to-itiveness, gumption and the relentless pursuit of truth and knowledge despite successive challenges, with a seemingly endless journey awaiting you.

It highlights the importance of courage and determination in the face of obstacles, emphasizing that the quest for understanding and enlightenment is not only valuable but also essential in one's life.

Tragically, the deep-thinking bard, with close ties to the imperial court, ended things in a river in Hunan province after a tumultuous career in topsy-turvy times. His untimely demise did, however, give birth to Dragon Boat Festival and the art of making zongzi (glutinous bamboo-wrapped rice tetrahedrons).

That three-day holiday ended just a month ago, on June 2, back when the days were progressively getting longer, brighter and hotter.

So enjoy Beijing's blistering beams of sunshine this summer, embrace your air conditioning if you're lucky enough to have it, and hitch a boat ride on the refreshingly cooler nighttime waters of Houhai or Tuanjie Lake Park!

Contact the writer at andrew@chinadaily.com.cn