Monday, February 28, 2005

Twilight. The glorious dying day's light reflecting off the upper layers of the atmosphere and back to terra firma... as winter enters into its final phase, the days in the northern hemisphere are gaining one minute per day of glorious sunlight. Translation: The opportunities for greater and longer beautiful twilights are eminent.

Click on the image above to view the Powerpoint presentation "When The Light Goes Down"

Did you, by chance, know that twilight is the mysterious "transition" of the day? It is a scientific fact that it is the very swinging door between day and night, between active and non active, between awakening and lulling off to sleep. It is the gradual changeover from day to night - which gives plants and animals, including humans, a time of adjustment. Flocks of birds on power lines have been seen to turn toward the sunset and twilight and quiet themselves before the evening's rest. For other fowl, the very setting sun and twilight marks the moment of awakening for a night of hunting. Twilight causes some plants to fold their leaves and flowers; for others it is the signal to awaken and spread their petals...

There was a time not that long ago (or so it still seems) when twilight would mark the end of my day of work or study and begin the evening of fun, dancing, spending time with college friends, and searching for harmless mischief. Now the recent twilights have begun to mark baby baths, first-grade homework, dishes, last loads of laundry, brushing children's teeth, bedtime stories, blankies, pacifiers, and goodnight hugs and kisses... and a quiet household...

We humans are an interesting species, for sure. Other than a few other animal species, humans have the longest life span, averaging well above 50 years. So it remains my contention that if other animal and plant species lived that long, they might also find themselves transitioning into a different form of twilight in their mid-to-later years.

Am I regretting the days of yonder twilights? Not in the least. They were outstanding memories with some very wonderful friends and times. But it just seems that as Life continues, the twilights just get better and better. There are far better twilights and sunsets coming up ahead. How about for you? Shhh... here comes the sunset and the twilight's last gleaming...