I long for the summer. Actually, I long for the summer twilight. The transition from day to night is so much smoother in the summer, when the light of day starts to dim and the violet hue of just before nightfall makes the green world seem that much greener and softer. It's a quiet time. Just before that short span where the world turns to dark blue, before the fall of dark.
I love to sit outside and wait for the little brown bats to come out to feed. One by one they appear, flitting and diving in silence, taking their sup. I remember one summer evening when I was in the pool with my youngest daughter Caitlin, just standing in the warm water and talking. We were at opposite sides of the pool when a bat swooped down right in front of my face, skimmed the water and flew up and over her head, taking a little drink, I suppose to wash down some dry, nasty bug.
I thought she would freak out, but after she realized what had happened, she was thrilled and we stood there for a long time waiting for it to happen again. It didn't. But that didn't change the moment. Actually, we probably wouldn't have hung out very long, but that chance happening made us stay and talk more. Not that we had anything enlightening to say to each other, we just talked. Sometimes we forget to spend some casual time with those we love. If I ever meet that bat again, I will thank him.
But summer is a long way off, in a lot of ways. Winter is a hard time. A shortened life cycle of waking, working, sleeping, with little else thrown in to break it up. The older I get, the worse the cabin fever gets. By the time I get home from work at night, I have to force myself to work out to get some exercise and break up the boredom. Thank the gods for good books, good music and good drink, they get me through. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to go worship at their alter now. Then sleep, and then wake to being one more day closer to summer.
I wish you peace and love.
greg