Last week, I caught myself still at my computer after 7:00 PM. The light outside was still golden, the garden was waiting, and Kyle had already set two glasses on the counter.
I am notorious for rewriting my to-do list the moment I get halfway through it. There is always something left. In the summer, with the light lasting until nearly nine, it’s easy to convince yourself there’s still time to get just one more thing done. This time of year in Lodi, we gain nearly five hours of daylight compared to the shortest days of winter. I looked it up recently, and honestly, it surprised me—five hours is significant. And yet somehow, I can always find ways to fill all of it.
Growing up, I remember hearing the phrase “wasting daylight” from my elders. I do appreciate the opportunity the summer season brings to tackle a few extra projects, but I still need to find a rhythm that keeps me in balance. I certainly don’t want to spend those extra five hours a day just working.
I’ve found that I need to build in little reminders that signal the end of our day. They shift my thinking, pull me into the present, and remind me to slow down and enjoy the evening. They are the cue that work is done, and the rest of the list can wait until tomorrow.
This season, my signals are a slow stroll through our vegetable garden to see what’s ready to be picked, or the sound of Kyle pulling the cork on a cold bottle of wine.
So, I suppose I agree that we shouldn’t “waste daylight,” but I don’t think it has much to do with work. What we really don’t want to waste is the time to savor summer and the people we want to share it with.
May we all find ourselves outside before the light is gone this week.
