There are certain days every year that help me mark the passing of time. Certainly fixed dates like holidays and birthdays are on this list, but there are other days as well. These days have no official names and are not fixed to a specific date. Nevertheless, they come every year, signaling the passage of time. Tuesday of this week was one of those days.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010, was the first day of this winter that the sun was still shining when I got out of work. I had not seen the sun at that time of day since well before Christmas. I’m know that winter is far from over, but the grip of early darkness has begun to loosen. The sun is higher in the sky, too, meaning it might actually warm the air up when it gets a chance to peak through the clouds. At the very least, it will have a chance to warm up the inside of my car!
There are other days analogous to the day of the first quitting-time sun. There’s the day that goes with it – the first day of darkness at quitting time. Then there’s the first day that you don’t need to wear a jacket, and the first day you smell fresh-cut grass. Each of these (and so many more), in their own way, mark the passing of time.
Time marches on, ever faithful, and brings us along for the ride. And the time has come. . . for me to get some sleep. Good night!
Image by Frank Müller