I’ve had recent discussions about night lights, in the context of the need for some lighting during the sleeping hours of night, simply for the reality of the occasional need to move about as the night progresses. It’s clear some light is necessary to ensure safety. It’s been an effort to find really low-level night lights.
Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book Learning to Walk in the Dark, talks about the ill effects of turning on lights after dark – how our body’s physical reaction is to get ready for a new day. “Even the light of a cell phone charger or glow-in-the-dark clock can cue your body that morning is underway”. This can lead to sleep deprivation and a variety of health problems of the body and mind. Accidents increase and mistakes made.
So while I’m hesitant to add light to my night hours, I’m aware of the need to ensure safe-keeping for this time in my life, so I have added some light into the dark. Sometimes accommodation need to be made.
Yesterday ended with a nighttime visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens.
Our garden experience began with a tailgate supper provided by my nephew’s wife. Abundance!
After enjoying our repast, we set out for a stroll along the garden’s paths which were lined on both sides by luminaries. It was surprisingly tricky walking in this level of dark. Again, a conversation about the need for dark – in this case to showcase the luminarias, while lighting up the paths enough to walk safely. It feels like finding balance between dark and light, recognizing the realities that shades of each are needed for our well-being.
The real draw for me at the botanical gardens was the LARGE sculptures – mostly heads – done by the artist Jun Kaneko. I was fascinated by their design and color.
When we arrived back home, happily exhausted by this day’s adventures, I received a text from Fitbit congratulating me on being an over-achiever having walked 16,449 steps!
Overachiever indeed.
Cometsgirl 