November darkness

It gets dark very early now. By five pm, the sky already looks like an eight o'clock sky. When I got off work today, my co-workers and I had to stumble around to get to the door. We were musing that the TransAmerica pyramid looked so pretty all lit up. I like it when it gets dark like this when I get off work, because I know, Christmas is around the corner. It is lovely, this cold darkness, it is what I've always associated with excitement. It is always around this time of the year when I feel that fluttering in my chest like something is about to happen, the air smells different, the nights always feel more quiet, and expectant. In contrast the short days with the glaring white light of the sun now angled so close to the northern hemisphere feels uneasy, and in my mum's words "is like a searchlight." There is something strange about this light that burns the eyes, but not the skin.

But the nights, they are spectacular. I feel lucky just to sit in the light of my room, knowing that this darkness is so still outside. Even the reflection on the glass seems especially black and glossy, like warm dark water I could dive into. Coming home, I saw my neighbor, a little boy (of six perhaps?), peeking out the window, at nothing, just looking at the darkness. I couldn't see his backlit face, but I guessed that his expression was one of astonishment. Because, this November darkness is quite lovely.

And now, to listen to These days by Nico with a cup of hot tea..Ah...