I had a friend who referred to herself as sundowner. Often a term that is used for dementia patients who become more nervous, agitated and confused as the day draws to a close. But for those who haven’t been diagnosed with memory problems the term can still apply. My late wife had such fears and sadness at the sunset. She didn’t like the darkness and her mood would darken, right along with the sunset. I haven’t had that experience myself, for I must admit that night time for me, gives me a time to wind down and recoup my energy and relax my mind. I look forward to a quiet evening and a good night rest.
There is however something that does alter my mood and cause me anxiety and its not the end of the day or a month. It’s the end of a season. You see I have always been a spring and summer person. Spring, because it’s kind of a reincarnation of mother earth- and summer well, because its summer- and here in Minnesota in the land of all the lakes it doesn’t get any better than that. I’m not going to write about spring, we will save that for actual spring but I am going to talk about the end of summer.
Ironically its because the sun shines as much as it hides away that summer happens. So many things that depend on summer weather and soft warm breezes happen because of and in the summer season. Our society to some existent builds its most active schedule around the summer months. Weddings, family get -togethers, vacations at the lake and road trips to name a few. It’s the time when mother nature’s babies are born and raised. Schools are out and leisure living is at its best.
Then the days grow short and the leaves change colors. The gardens are empty, the flowers have all gone away. The crops are harvested and the kids go back to school. It gets dark earlier and light later and you find yourself wearing extra layers to ward off the cold. Oh, there are some things that are unique. The colors of the leaves for one and for some, the hunt is on. The bugs are dead and the lawnmowing stops. But it’s all so short lived, for in a matter of weeks a cold wind, rain and a stiff breeze takes all the leaves back down to earth to become a soddened mess. The hunt is over, the screens come down and the windows close and your home goes from a gathering place to a much-needed shelter.
There are few select people who find some good in the winter months. Those healthy enough to take the cold and play in the snow or plow the snow. I once did that too. I ice fished and snowmobiled, cross country skied and yes there is a certain amount of monotony that can creep in with 80 degrees and sunny every day but not so much with twenty below and cloudy. We’re Minnesotans we say and we brag about our macho survival skills but in the end when there’s no one looking, we shiver and shake like everyone else and wait for summer. I have told people in Arizona what it’s like in January here and they just shake their heads and say why?
To those who are sundowners the new day dawns within hours and things will be all better again. To those who are summer people. It’s going to be a while.
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