SAD for birds

As I walked into the bedroom last night to go to bed (boyfriend was still on the computer), I was greeted with the sound of a bird chirping just outside the bedroom. (We keep all of our sliders and windows open 24/7, so we're able to hear the natural soundtrack occurring outside.) I could only assume that the huge, bright full moon we had last night had confused the little guy (or gal) into thinking that it was still daylight. It reminded me of people who suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) who surround themselves with special lights during the winter months to keep depression at bay. And it occurred to me that we live in a place that would be considered a haven for SAD people. Living with nearly constant sunshine has certainly made a huge difference in our moods, I know that.

Light's a powerful thing. Otherwise we wouldn't be drawn to the commonly-held belief that when someone dies, they see a bright, loving light beckoning to them. We're calmed and seduced by candlelight. We string festive and colorful lights to celebrate holidays. We feel the pull of a full moon light playing out in sometimes strange behavior. I learned years ago to imagine surrounding myself with white light to ward off negativity or scary stuff.

I've always loved full moons--even though they sometimes disrupt my sleep. But not last night. I drifted off with my last thoughts being about how lucky I am to live in a place where I can sleep in the altogether, in the warm night air, under a ceiling fan, with all of the doors and windows open and hear the happy chirping of a bird bathed in moonlight in a place where no one has to ever experience SAD.