Looking at my inbox and then out through the office window, I made the decision to leave work around 5 in order to be home to walk Jack in the fading light. I arrive at school most mornings around 0740, so it is still dark when I walk Jack at 0600, but the light in the evenings is tangible, within reach and beckoning.
So this evening I left work as the light was a soft yellow blue and the sun was slowly sinking far out west.
When I was about 14 I remember one summer waking at 0420 for about 2 weeks and the sky was always the same – a palette of ivory, pale blue, soft creamy yellow with whisps of white cloud. I’m sure my body clock kicked in just so that I would see the amazing dawn that summer.
That same light was calling me this evening but by the time I had stopped off to fill the car up with fuel, and then put it through the car wash (some nasty seagull shit on the driver door needed to be removed), got home, had an early tea because of Callanetics at 7pm, the light was all but gone. However I am bored with walking the streets, passing other people’s houses, carefully parked cars and manicured gardens, and so in spite of the impending darkness I headed towards the coast.
By the time Jack and I arrived at the kiddie’s course, it was pretty dark. Fortunately he had obligingly pooed on a patch of grass under a street light, so I didn’t need to worry about trying to balance a phone torch, Jack and poo bag.
Hoorah for smart phones and all their clever accessories – I switched on the torch as we went through the gate, the sky now a darker lilac, golden yellow and grey. Jack enjoyed his new sniffs and trotted along happily on our new route.
I could smell Spring rolling in from the waves and glanced up to see The Plough, Polaris and the myriad twinkling stars.
Chasing the light – a poem
Winter months have clad the Earth in black;
grey clouds and rain have smothered light,
obliterating motivation, pushing us back indoors.
Spring light is creeping in through the dawn and into the dusk,
See it, breathe it in. Smell it. Awaken.
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