Shortest Day of the Year

For the past few months I have been looking forward to today - December 21 - the shortest day of winter.

These days, as I drink my early morning coffee and think about my day, I am very aware that, though  it may be six or seven am, outside my window the world is still dark!

The lit windows of neighbors in the distance remind me that many are getting ready for work and school.

A while later, at around 7:30 am, dawn breaks.

Then, a mere nine hours later, darkness returns around 4:30.

In my working years, I would drive to work in the dark and return home again in darkness. The only daylight I would see was through the window.

So why am I looking forward to today? Because, from now on, days are now going to get a little longer... Every morning, day break will be a little earlier, and twilight a little later... until June 21, when days start to shorten again!

I remember my father noticing lengthening and shortening days - while I, a teenager, looked at him in bewilderment, wondering what all the fuss was about.

Do we become more light-sensitive as we age? As a child and teenager, I was oblivious to whether days were long or short. It just didn't register with me!