That Great Darkness.

The dictionary defines the word 'darkness' as the "absence or deficiency of light". A cursory glance out one's window these days will confirm this as an apt definition. It is that time of year again in which the days grow noticeably shorter and even though we set our collective clocks back and gain one precious hour, we lose one to black skies. What is it about the darkness that so affects our mood? Why is it that the absence of light does so much to mute our inward joy? One answer may be found in perception. Under adequate lighting, people can take in the world in full and undisclosed detail for as far as one's eyes can see, there is no visual mystery. On some level, perhaps light takes away our subconscious fear of the unknown because in the light there is no hiding. As sensual beings, humans are most at ease when their senses are working to their fullest. In the dark, our eyes can be deceived or eluded and we have to mentally fill in the blanks of that which we cannot perceive.

Darkness represents the hole in our perceptions. Philosophically, darkness can also be the holes in our being -- the parts of us we do not know; our fear of that which we cannot know; the inability to face the world outside of our own mental one. Darkness, such as it can be externally perceived, forces one to slowly close both the inward and outward boundaries of awareness more tightly around oneself. Essentially, in the dark we can only see that which is relatively more immediately close to us and therefore the lengths to which we infer our surroundings increases causing us to become steadily more introspective. As social creatures, humans yearn to reach out and be connected to the world around them. If indeed being in darkness causes some to become more contained to their own mind, then it would follow that one would also experience emotional resonance as well. While this emotional response could obviously vary, it would be logical to assume that the feeling of being restrained from the rest of the world would result in a negative way.

The Fall season brings many things with it. Here in Wisconsin, it brings the winter cold. Cold in and of itself could be distilled much the same as darkness into the correlation of human need to be warm and the warmth of being loved or accepted. I'll skip over that dissection in favor of staying on topic, suffice it to say some climates make the great darkness of Fall potentially harder to bear. I truly do believe that the Fall and Winter seasons do cause many to struggle with increasingly difficult moods and feelings. Perhaps this is why the powers-that-be grouped so many holidays in such a close proximity on our calendar. The more reminders we have of what makes life joyous, the less inclined we are to turn in on ourselves. It's been said in fiction for centuries that one of the single most powerful strengths and weaknesses of the human condition is hope. It is hope that drives us to persevere. It is hope that makes us strive for a better tomorrow. It is the more positive and inspiring aspects of hope that I want to emphasize here as it is this exact sentiment that makes the darkness bearable. It is the ability to reach out to others even when you feel alone that illuminates the darkness in ourselves.

We are capable of enduring darkness in the hopes that the light will ultimately prevail, and if you look at it that way darkness is just another moment of your life.

On the Merits of Christmas Music and Human Happiness in December.

It's that time of year again. Before Thanksgiving can even fade gracefully from our memories, radio stations across the city are ramping up the Christmas tunes for all to hear. For many this is a yearly annoyance. These types are content simply to think of Christmas one or two weeks out from the actual day. And who could blame them? It's a tad unsettling to be driving to Thanksgiving dinner only to be serenaded by 'White Christmas'. Will I eventually be dreaming of a white Christmas? Yeah. Am I dreaming of it on my way to Thanksgiving? Not until I heard that song. And that's really the point. More and more the familiar 'Christmas spirit' is being foisted upon us at earlier and earlier dates. From a purely cynical worldview, one could imply that this push is done largely to encourage retail surges in the weeks leading into the most joyous of days. Realistically this is most likely the most astute assumption. Stores want more customers with more dollars going through their stores earlier and earlier to garner a higher yield when the season is said and done. Me? I like to imagine that the Christmas music is coming on so early these last few years at least in part because we as a society need it. You may notice that Christmas music in general hasn't changed too drastically since you were a child. For some of us that's a couple of decades and for some us it's considerably longer. I think it's safe to say that Christmas music is timeless, and because of that the amount of memories attached to it are substantially greater in volume.

I guess it is my hope that somewhere out there playing Christmas music is a way to cheer people up in what is otherwise a dismal time of year (especially in my hometown of Milwaukee). The sun goes down at 5pm, the weather is becoming increasingly unforgiving, and the rush and stress of the holiday season can take a toll on a person. Christmas music, if given enough thought, can be a reminder that if we slow down and really take in the season there is a lot to be joyous about.

Personally, I didn't really embrace the Christmas music push wholeheartedly until last December. For whatever reason I was listening to the festive music for a good month and a half before Christmas ever happened. Generally in years past, thanks in large part to my time served in the retail shopping world, I loathed the idea of having to be reminded that increasingly angry customers with increasingly insane demands would soon be pouring into my checkout line and berating me. This year, as an extension of last, I have decided to attempt to let listening to holiday music a whole month before the holiday become a tradition. While not the most original tradition ever generated; for me it represents a time where I'm going to try and redouble my efforts to really appreciate the season and the winter to the full extent. As with any tradition, it will likely take a year or two more before I am fully confident I'll even want to embrace this tradition. For the time being though, I have decided to allow myself to drop my defenses and give in to what I would in years past considered 'cliche'. Sure, my attitude is pretty much exactly what retail chains everywhere are banking on to make some extra scratch in our hobbled economy, but so help me if somewhere years and years ago this music wasn't written to bolster the holiday spirit for the sake of bolstering it.

It's that last sentiment that I am placing all of my childlike Christmas hopes upon: That the world is inherently good, and that even though things can seem bleak, things are ultimately what we make of them. Christmas can be one of two things. It can be a stress-filled couple of weeks fraught with anger and frustration, or it can be a time to revel in the unnaturally cheery facade of everything around you. Personally, I plan to make it my own and enjoy it because in personal experience it will be over before I know it. And that's all having to listen to Christmas music this 'early' in the year really is; an invitation to attach your own personal emotions and memories to a time of year that is otherwise pretty unbearable. So in the meantime I'll be listening and getting in the spirit of the season, whatever that may be. And who knows? While I may be shuffling into someone's pre-planned scheme to get me to spend my money; if I come out of it with even a smidgen of personal joy isn't that more than worth it in today's world?

'White Christmas' - Bright Eyes