The Light

It's staying light so late!

I know, it's almost Memorial Day. But Memorial Day is no longer the 30th, or was it the 31st? I'm forgetting, it's been too long since holidays became expedient, Monday affairs so everybody could have a long weekend.

Used to be it was Memorial Day that was hot, Labor Day cooled off.

But not in Los Angeles. I've gotten sick on more than one Memorial Day, dressing for hot when it turned out to be cold, shivering in my shorts.

Yes, summer is coming, and I'm not prepared for it. The hot days. Everybody going on vacation. I prefer to work. I want everyone home and paying attention.

But one thing I love is these long days. Although they are confusing me. I sit in front of the computer thinking I've got hours left in the day and then I look at the clock and it's almost over!

It's getting dark long after 8 in L.A. Long after 9 in Toronto. But it's only going to last another month, and then the days will be getting shorter again, counting down the hours until Christmas, when we start going in the other direction again.

And when you're young the world doesn't spin fast enough.

But when you're old, you want to slow it down.

I want it to stay light this late for a few months, I want to savor it. The yellow. The brightness. The feeling that life is all about endless possibilities.

And sure it'll be hot in July and August, but every day will be a bit shorter, it will be depressing.

I can't help think about growing up, playing baseball, I lived to play baseball, back when you told your mother you'd be home for dinner and walked out the front door to god knows where.

You'd get on your bike, I'd get on my bike and ride to the school where we'd play. Eventually Little League. Which began practice on April 1st and games at the end of the month. Which means you had to start throwing in March, to be ready.

But this was back before the Major League started in March and played until November. The season was over the first week of October and it rarely snowed in April.

And unlike today, we went to school through the middle of June, and never had to return until after Labor Day. Now everything's sped up, kids are out in May and suddenly August is a school month. As for colleges, it seems they don't even go to school at all.

And I never want to go back to school. You're supposed to learn but too few of the teachers are stimulating, especially as you enter higher education. I prefer following my muse, my interests, that's what I love about the Internet, the ability to dig down deep.

Do kids lie in the backyard and stare at the sky anymore? Marveling how the clouds move?

Do they take their sleeping bags out and look at the stars, and wake up to the sun long before their parents, and go inside and watch cartoons?

Wait, that was before it was a badge of honor to never sleep, when kids arose before parents, before adults boasted that they got up at 4:30, why would you want to get up so early? Don't you love the night time?

I do. It's when everything slows down, when the driven wind down and the night owls like me inherit the earth.

So much of my life is lived in the darkness. But not now. It's like I'm in the bonus round, the recipient of a natural plus that thrills me, that I don't want to let go of.

But it's going to evaporate.

And at some point, I won't even be here.

So I want to savor it. As those younger than me believe they're going to live forever, but those of us wise enough to know better marvel at the simple things, knowing that possessions are overrated, that a German car is nice, but not necessary, that it's what you feel inside that counts, because what you show to the outside no one's looking at.


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