Be the Light

Last night, we gained an extra hour of sleep so that as we go forward in fall and begin to think about winter, we have more daylight in North America. Having been born in New York and lived no further west than Chicago, I'm used to cold, bitter winters. I'm not a terribly good skier, but I enjoy the snow. I love the way the snow clings to the evergreen trees in our yard. I do prefer warmer months but the cold doesn't bother me. What I really don't like about these upcoming months is the lack of daylight. Driving to work in the dark, driving home from work in the dark. You can keep the cold and the snow, but give me some more daylight.

The great news for me is that I get to work with children, and I get to work with people who have committed their lives to serve the children and families of St. Johnsbury. Children don't notice the lack of daylight, or if they do, it doesn't show. They do notice when we change our clocks, and I'm very grateful that my own children are a little older so that this impacts them less than it did when they were toddlers!

I'm sure that if we spoke to our students and asked about the lack of daylight in the winter and the vast amounts of daylight in the summer, they would admit they notice it. But for the most part, this is an adult thing. What I'm writing about is not something that I gave a great deal of thought to when I was growing up. Although, I have an uncle who still calls my father on December 22 and asks if he's noticed how much longer the days are! He does the same thing on June 22, except then, he asks if he's noticed how much shorter the days are...

So since this is something that really only lives in the worlds of adults, and because I have the great fortune to spend my days around children, as we go forward into the time of year when we have the least amount of sunlight, I am making the following commitment: Every time that I begin to complain about the lack of daylight, I will do something to make someone else's day brighter. I pledge to light our St. Johnsbury world with the smiles of others so that while we may not see the sun as much in the coming months, we will see our students' and colleagues' faces brighten more. Never underestimate the power or the infectious nature of just one smile.

When you have the great fortune of spending your days around children, you are reminded of what it is to be childlike. To look at the world with wonder and awe. To find joy in swinging on a swing. To feel the exhilaration of playing with your friends. To scream with delight while sledding down a hill. To be out of breath, after running in the snow, bundled up to your ears with winter gear. Not wondering once when you will see more sunlight.

As adults, we have a choice.

Be the Light.

Photo courtesy of www.deerhorn.com