AN OPTIMIST ON WINTER

         No one gets all giddy about when we go off day light savings time in early winter and we go into early darkness around 5P.M. It is, for most of us, a little depressing. Here is the good news.

         When I was in junior high at Laurel Consolidated School, our boys team was at Van Cleve, Iowa and playing them in basketball. Happily, we had defeated them badly and were getting back on the bus to head back to Laurel all seven miles or so.

        For some reason, I noticed going to the bus that the sun was just setting in the western sky and it was a little lighter around 5PM-6PM. It was right around my birthday, January 27th, 1950's. Also, I felt good about it for whatever reason.

       Throughout my lifetime, when someone has complained about the long dark winter and it's around Christmas, I always reminded them that there was only a month left of early darkness and by the end of January, and, to give my birthday a plug, it will be getting lighter. Always look to the bright side and later this afternoon around 5PM take a peek outside!