Comes the Darkness

I will start by admitting that I am of two minds on tonight's topic. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. And I'm kind of okay with that.

I'm talking about the early sunsets that happen at this time of year.

In the summer, when it is light out until 10 o'clock some nights (at least for a few days in mid-June), it often feels like I'm supposed to be doing something. Anything. I feel like Mother Nature is telling me that I should be outside playing tag with the neighbors, or at least sitting on a patio somewhere drinking a glass of wine late into the evening.

It's not quite so bad when it is only light until 9 or so, because then at least you have an excuse to be home and curled up on the couch by 10.

But, then, suddenly - and always seemingly without warning - the sun is going down so early that by 9 o'clock it's actually pitch dark outside. Heck. It's dark by around 8. And I know that, in December (thanks, in part, to the time change), there will come a point when it is already dark by the time I get home from work at 5:45. (We won't get into the idea of it also being dark when I get up in the morning...)

On the one hand, I like when it's darker out earlier because the pressure seems to be off. You don't feel like you have to go out and do things, because if it's dark out it must be almost time for bed. But I also hate that my body decides that it needs to go into hibernation mode, and I find myself wanting to stay in bed for 16 hours per day. But, then again, curling up on the couch when it's dark out is pretty nice... (Like I said, I'm kind of torn on this.)

I was doing some work this evening, and looked outside and assumed it must have been close to 10, when I realized it was only 8:30. I'm not sure if it was the work, the darkness, or something else which made me feel like I should be headed for bed. Maybe a combination of things.

Thankfully, I finished the work and am now curled up on the couch. Ready to hibernate for a few months. Or maybe to move somewhere where the daylight doesn't have such massive Seasonal Affective Disorder. Maybe both.