On Light

 As I grow older (and the grey hairs on my head and lines around my smile certainly confirm that fact), I’ve become more aware of how the natural world affects my mood and disposition.  I’ve come to realize that time outside, especially time spent in the sunlight, always makes even the bleakest of my days better.  I’ve learned to pay attention to the ways in which natural light and darkness set the tone for the light and dark of my emotions and the state of my mental landscape.

This realization brought me a greater awareness of the ways I should manage the winter season.  As I realized the importance of sunlight in my life, I looked up the sunrise and sunset times in my corner of New Jersey.  I used this website to get the information.  Sometimes I’d print the calendar of the month’s sunrise and sunset; other times I’d simply record them on my daily calendar.  Then I could check in and receive reassurance that the days were getting longer and that difficult as things sometimes were, there was sunlight in my future. 

It was both a metaphorical and a real reassurance.  These days, knowing the timing of sunrise, sunset, and the moon calendar is a vital part of how I see my world.  Sometimes I even plan my day in order to step outside to see the sunrise or sunset or take advantage of a clear evening to admire the moon.  Each week in January we add just a bit more light to our days.  By the end of the month, the sun will set after 5 pm and twilight will extend after that.  I will welcome the light when it arrives.  Until then, I can look at my sunrise and sunset chart for the reassurance that there is a sure promise of light.