Happy Solstice. Day 105.

In my youth, I never realized how the lack of daylight negatively complemented my moods. The happy holidays ride into our year on the shoulders of the shortest days, including our beloved winter solstice, when we’re blessed with the least amount of daylight the entire year offers. Today is December 21^st, the day when Earth is quite stingy with her offering of light. Lack of sunshine and hours sprinkled with darkness can lead to sadness and depression, so I am ready for tomorrow and the days that follow.

I remember when I lived in Southampton, Massachusetts, I would look up our weather, not for the precipitation or temperature, but for sunlight. When I saw the bright yellow circle on my weather app, I felt hopeful. It’s when I first realized, maybe later than the average person, how much daylight makes a difference. I would wake the next morning, sit up in bed, and watch the sun creep lazily over Mount Tom in the East. My mind told me it would be a better day because of the yellow tint that gently blanketed the winter world.

So, the days after today for a year will be filled with more daylight, offering us happier moods. Maybe it’s a placebo created by our own minds, but a wise Tyler once told me, “Just because it’s a placebo, doesn’t make it not real.” Our minds are incredibly powerful and manipulative, and although, ultimately, our spirits are in charge, we need all the help we can get to dig ourselves out of winter depression. Thank you, Mother Nature, for the ability to see light and the longer days in our future, and for the sunshine that you so graciously bless us with whenever you can, or actually, whenever you want to.

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