Sunshine

December 1st

And my need for it. I need sunshine; I need sun rays; I need to feel the soft sunlight warming my skin — especially in winter months. The last couple of weeks were typical for November weather — rain, sleet, snow, completely overcast sky. Days are already short — sunrise is around 7 am and by 2 pm it is dusky and by 4 pm total darkness reigns. And like every year, there is something I am looking towards through this time; I am looking to December 21st — not only as a date only a couple of days before Christmas but mostly as a date of the Winter Solstice, the day when from now on days will be longer. I cannot wait for that day. I know that in January and February (and sometimes in March too) there still will be a lot of snowy, freezing, and nasty weather, but at least there will be more and more daylight every upcoming day.

And today was a nasty like that, like that upcoming but unwelcome late November sudden change to winter. Overnight there was freezing rain and snow. All morning I could hear ice-scrapers scrapping ice on cars all over the neighborhood. And then, suddenly, around 10 pm, clouds parted and there was a burst of beautiful sunshine for half an hour. I put on my hoodie and went outside. I just stood there for ten minutes, soaking the sun and vitamin D on my skin. That was enough to completely change my mood — I felt happy, playful, calm, and with a firm resolve. Ten minutes of sunshine was all I needed to recharge and get some perspective for my life. Ten minutes without worries and troubles. Ten minutes of pure bliss.