I woke this morning, as I sometimes do, to the feeling of a presence standing near my bedside. As my eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the dark, I saw the faint outline of my son.
I asked if he was okay. No. Bad dream. I could tell it had really shaken him. I said, “Come here” and he crawled into bed, where I met him with cuddles and comfort.
As my brain started doing its morning calculations of what’s to come when and who to go where and how, I realized it wasn’t 5 am as my old digital clock showed glowing on the nightstand. Rather, it was 4 am… Since today ends Daylight Savings Time. I explained this to him in loud whispers, trying to be soft so as not to wake dad. Curiosity piqued, he asked why we have Daylight Savings Time and I told him. He thought about it and replied that this should be “Daylight Savoring Time.”
As often happens, he stopped me in my tracks. I’d been focused on getting us back to sleep so we could take advantage of that extra hour and get on track for the week ahead. But as I let that reframe resonate, I relaxed into the splendor of the moment. Awake before I’d planned to be and treated to a delicious, indulgent hour. It’s an invitation to resist approaching our days from a scarcity mindset, trying to save as much daylight as we can. Instead, we have an opportunity to savor the daylight (and the additional hour).
And, isn’t that what we love about this time? Less daylight means more appreciation for the hours we do have and their abundance. When the sun finally rises to greet the day, glowing fire across the morning sky. The golden afternoons that melt easily into early sunsets. The cool air calling us inside to cozy by the fire. Blankets and pillows abounding.
Of course, it’s not just the daylight we’re savoring. It’s one another. The little, glorious moments and the reflection on the year that’s passed. The life that’s passing…and ours to enjoy while we’re here.
This morning, I did not get my extra hour of sleep. Instead, I spent that hour snuggled with my child, talking about all sorts of different things. What he is learning in school. The things he finds interesting. His cat. Both of us, fully present. Whispering and giggling in this shared pocket of made-up time. Like, if you held it too tightly, it could vanish. As if a dream. For now, ours to savor.
After enjoying our precious window, we tiptoed through the quiet, chilly house, pulling on our robes, gathering blankets, and lit a fire. Enjoying its warm glow, we tucked into creative time. He, drawing his inspiration. Me, writing mine. And, here we sit. The only two awake. Maybe anywhere… Taking our time…
