As we head towards the end of daylight savings time tonight I feel a sense of relief. I am a night owl-always have been since I was a small child. Perhaps being born at 11:14 at night has something to do with this. I feel during spring and summer that I should be outside as much as possible often letting household chores slack off unless company is coming. I think my prehistoric mind tells me to soak up as much light as my red haired fair skinned self can manage before winter arrives.

Living with depression and bipolar depression since I was ten has made me comfortable with the darkness. Growing up in New England I suffered from seasonal affective disorder and remember feeling as if I was heading into a tunnel every fall. I hated it. I know now not to fear it but to embrace it and learn from it. I appreciate the light so much more after emerging from dark times of depression. Thankfully I have not had a major depressive in a few years. But I know I have tools to help me if and when it appears again. When I lived alone I enjoyed curling up in my apartment with my books, dvds and artwork to keep me company. I would do spring cleaning during the winter. I enjoy the feeling that comes over me when I know I am ready for winter-food in the pantry, water if the electricity goes out, books and movies along with my imagination to keep me company. I could binge watch doctor who’s or physics shows.

It is always an adjustment for me when daylight savings ends as it meant I would head into work when it was dark and leave when it is dark. Thankfully that will end in two weeks. Now that the days are getting shorter in terms of light I find myself excited to reacquaint myself with the winter constellations. I feel a sense of joy when I can observe Orion coming up over the horizon.

So now as winter approaches and gardening is just about finished I turn my eyes to household chores that I hope I can quickly tackle and move onto reading, photography, writing and hiking.

I love the light in the three photos I chose. It makes me smile and reminds me even in the darkness a point of life is always visible. Check out Orion in the night sky if you are in the Northern Hemisphere.