Every moment of light and dark

It was quite foggy yesterday.  Visibility extended no further than the length of a football field--so unusual here that it was somewhat disorienting.  Not being able to see very far slowed traffic just a bit, slowed the pace of everything downtown.  The colors were muted, creating an almost monochromatic atmosphere.  All of these elements combined to make me realize that I spend so much time thinking about where I am going, both physically and temporally, that I often fail to live in the moment, to truly occupy my body.

As one who tends to be easily over-stimulated, I find it necessary to take a step back from time to time and focus on the here and now.  I am reminded of a store I visited in San Francisco.  Open onto the sidewalk with no wall to separate the space from the street, the store was packed with so many colorful items that at first I was physically repulsed, almost unable to step inside.  

But I did, and as I focused on and examined individual offerings, the experience changed entirely.  I am intrigued with how an experience or an environment can change so suddenly.

Sometimes this can be due to the juxtaposition of opposites.  Sometimes the result is surprising and even ironic.  For example, consider the fact that streetlights can actually contribute to night blindness of drivers!  Studies have shown that as drivers emerge from a dark area into a lighted area, such as a pool of light from a streetlight, their pupils adjust by constricting.  Then as they leave the lighted area, their pupils dilate to adjust to the dimmer environment.  The result is a momentary decrease in the ability to see.

I was recently reading about light pollution and came across an article on light trespass, which occurs when unwanted light enters one’s property.  Not long after we moved into our current house, the photosensitive switch in the light in our front yard was overcome by fire ants and no longer turned on when it got dark outside.  Admittedly we deferred the maintenance of the fixture because it was a pain to take the whole thing apart and insert a new sensor.  Then our neighbor stopped David in the yard and thanked him for turning off the light that had shone into her bedroom window for years.  After living without the automatic illumination of the light for a while, we realized that it really wasn’t necessary, especially if it was disturbing the neighbors.

We have also been on the receiving end of light trespass.  Living across the street from the high school track, we are painfully illuminated when the powerful track lights are turned on.  I recently told my students that I was tempted to set up mirrors, which would reflect the intense light back on itself in an attempt to destroy the offending fixtures.  Just kidding, of course.  At least the lights are not used very often.

It’s funny how something usually seen as primarily positive, such as light, can be vilified.  Of course, it is all just a matter of perspective.  Consider the words of Og Mandino:  "I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars."

I will close today with a suggested project.  As a photography teacher, I always enjoy the results when my students try to write with light.  By setting the shutter on the bulb setting, the photographer points the camera toward a relatively intense light source (a full moon works well) and moves the camera to form letters.  Working with more than one light, perhaps for example with a display of Christmas lights, can create interesting repetition.