on the darkest day

It’s already the solstice, already the turning back of the nights into day, and I have barely noticed it becoming winter. Not because of the bizarre weather (really, England? highs of 13C in December? okay then…), but because of the sun! Shining! Several days a week! In a big, beautiful, blue sky full of light. Sure, the sun only emerges after 8am and disappears before 4pm, but on so many days the hours in-between have been full enough of light that I just don’t care. Even on cloudy days, there have been slivers of sunlight, little patches of colour and life, and some phenomenal sunsets.

And, as a result, no discernable SAD at all for the first time in years.

Compare to last year, where I went about 2 months only seeing the sun 5 times. Granted, other factors were making me depressed last winter, but the SAD was running on overdrive alongside all that. This winter I was going to finally be a sensible grown-up and buy a UV lamp, but so far I haven’t needed to!

And now we’re at the solstice, which normally I would celebrate with much relief, but this year I’m just smiling contentedly at the thought of even more sunshine.