Darkness

When I helped my forked friend clean up his yard last night he was telling me about something he was planning on trying in the fall after the time changed. He wanted to 'live by candlelight' for a couple of days and see if anything happened to his sleep schedule. We went back and forth on all the possibilities and the difficulties he may run into. And that it meant no television or laptop and minimal phone use, which only left reading for entertainment.

After I got home he sent me a text and said he was going to give it a shot that night. With my new sense of trying new things I decided I was in too. I had already planned on watching When Harry Met Sally that night, but decided at sundown I would stop it and finish it later. 

At about 8:20-ish or so I gathered a few candles, all scented unfortunately, picked out a book, and snuggled up on the couch with my pups for an amazingly relaxing evening. 

I decided to re-read one of my favorite books, The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing, which I have probably read at least 10 times. 

I was slightly afraid that the candles would make it seem romantic which would in turn make me sad I was alone these days or that every little noise in the rest of my very dark house would terrify me. And I also thought I get bored with it and start to fall asleep at 9, but neither were the case.

At 11:15, halfway through my book and getting a little sleepy, I figured it was probably time to call it a night. My first instinct walking through the house was to turn on a light, but I resisted. Brushing your teeth by candle light is a very neat experience. 

Well I can easily say even just one night altered my sleep cycle because I was wide awake at 5:45 this morning. I managed to stay in bed until a few minutes after 6, but that's still early for me even on a work day. Unable to forget how much I enjoyed the lack of overhead lighting the night before, I decided resist turning lights on this morning for as long as possible. The back of my house where my bedroom and bathroom are don't get much early morning sunlight so it was back to the candles.

If you've never taken a shower by candle light, please do it. I don't mean a bath with bubbles and good book. Just a regular getting-ready-to-go-to-work-only-have-a-few-minutes-to-spare shower. I've never felt so unstressed and un-rushed in the morning in my life.

I am so ready to do it again! I'm actually a little sad that I have plans after CrossFit tonight because I can't wait to come back home, sit in my quiet house only lit by candles, read and forget everything else. With Mondays being my only guaranteed night to myself lately, this may become a regular routine.