Lights of Human Civilization

I am always grateful at this time of year for the return of standard time and the end of daylight saving time. At first, of course, it is my present need as a parent for the sun to assist my children in getting out of their beds for school. By late October, their time to wake is in darkness again, and they complain to me that “it’s still nighttime.”

But, maybe even more, I like the earlier return of darkness in the late afternoon and evening. I like walking the dog in the evening and observing my neighborhood at this time of year. Our homes are handsomest under the veil of winter darkness. Each window, glowing from the inside with warm lights peeking out, is suggestive of an entire life or the lives of an entire family. I love the homes that have taken a little extra care to gently light their walkways, guiding the family members homeward.

About the Author

Michael Brendan Dougherty

Michael Brendan Dougherty is a senior writer at National Review Online.

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I am always grateful at this time of year for the return of standard time and the end of daylight saving time. At first, of course, it is my present need as a parent for the sun to assist my children in getting out of their beds for school. By late October, their time to wake is in darkness again, and they complain to me that “it’s still nighttime.”

But, maybe even more, I like the earlier return of darkness in the late afternoon and evening. I like walking the dog in the evening and observing my neighborhood at this time of year. Our homes are handsomest under the veil of winter darkness. Each window, glowing from the inside with warm lights peeking out, is suggestive of an entire life or the lives of an entire family. I love the homes that have taken a little extra care to gently light their walkways, guiding the family members homeward.