8/18/2023 0 Comments The Dying Light of SummerA point of mild and unserious conflict in Katie's and my marriage is the fact that I am a morning person. Beyond the initial 5-10 minutes of groggy delirium and misanthropy that happens immediately after hearing my alarm clock blare, mornings are when I have energy, interest, and a generally positive outlook for things. This is also when I am at my most unpredictable and will talk to you about everything from politics to whether or not you can make a spaceship out of milk cartons and zipties. Only Nighttime Jon can admit that Morning Jon’s enthusiasm was inexcusable. All of this is amplified during the bright summer months in Alaska, when the boundaries between day and night are only made clear by a clock display, and mornings have a natural buzz about them that accompanies the steady daylight. As summer begins to wind down and the darkness of night once again starts to clarify these boundaries, it becomes more strenuous to be a morning person. Every 5:00 a.m. becomes harder to greet when it feels like Mother Nature is directly challenging me to disengage and go back to sleep.
I’m not specifically a summer advocate, since heat and bright sunlight make me hiss and wither like a miserable vampire. Every season has its upsides though, and the increased daylight and the ability to go outside without having my eyelids freeze shut are just two of the benefits of summer. Everyone knows fall is the best season, though sometimes it feels non-existent in Alaska. Winter is clearly the dominant force here, and it has its own benefits and costs. Alaskan winters can be breathtakingly beautiful, but the darkness can feel oppressive. I approach driving in the new darkness with a certain trepidation after a season of being spoiled by incessant daylight. Suddenly, every shadow on the road might be a stray dog, and the edges of the sidewalks are only marked by the glow of streetlights. Lumbering and jaywalking pedestrians pop out into the road in less than a split-second, causing a verbal crossword puzzle of unfortunate language to instinctually spill out of my mouth. Yes, there are still summer days left, but winter is beginning to stir in its sleep. I realize that it isn’t bright at 5 a.m. in most places, but darkness at 5 a.m. in the late-summer in Alaska feels like an especially bad omen. Winter is just around the corner… Are you ready? My answer to this is usually, “No. Not yet. Please. Just a little more light.” I came to no clear conclusions this morning after I admitted that the light was dying for the season, except that it should be held onto for as long as possible. It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating its birth. You could see it starting to peak over the mountains, subtly at first, and then bursting forth across the sky with joy and optimism. I am happy to be moving to a place in which the seasons, summer and fall specifically, are represented in a more well-rounded way. Still, my soul sinks now as it has every year during this seasonal transition, even if I am leaving it all behind. It’s too early to start the long slumber of winter. It’s too early to chant an elegy for the light.
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