My115thDream

Dave's Mental Meanderings
2003-03-13 07:44:09 (UTC)

Darkness

from my journal
12 March 2003

Darkness is underrated. Seriously. As I’m writing this,
I’m sitting at a picnic table in the field by the pond in
my apartment complex, watching the tip of my pen converge
with its own shadow as it inscribes these words on the page
of my journal. It’s about 7:15 P.M. and I’ve been out here
doing homework, which I just finished, for the past hour
and a half. When I got here, the field and the trail
around the pond were filled with people jogging, throwing
frisbees, walking dogs, and having cookouts – all of the
quintessential springtime activities to be done during the
all-too-brief period of every year when, in Virginia, it is
neither too hot nor too cold to thoroughly enjoy the
outdoors for no sake but their own. About half an hour
ago, darkness set in quickly and the masses dwindled to
nothing save the occasional dog-walker. And myself, of
course. Although it is only by virtue of my good eyesight
that I can even read words on a page, not to mention the
fact that reading the screen of my graphing calculator
required the assistance of an appropriately placed lit
cigarette lighter; I chose to stay, finish my homework,
and, obviously, write in my journal. I can think of few
things more tranquil than a 65-degree springtime evening in
a relatively secluded area. The lamp posts, the cool air,
the sky, the occasional pair of passing headlights
accompanied by the hum of an internal combustion engine,
and, most blissful of all, the solitude – nights like these
make life seem pretty damn great. I’ve always held the
opinion that all people should treat themselves to at least
an hour of solitude and quiet reflection in the complete
absence of any potential disturbances every day. And on a
night like this, who is doing something so important that
he is unable to take an hour off? Nobody in Blacksburg,
Virginia, anyway. I’ve got more work to do that 95% of the
students here at Virginia Tech, but do you see me cooped up
inside at my desk? Damn no. So go outside, find a spot
you can dig, and just relax in the calm darkness. Tell ‘em
Dave sent you.




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