SAD

Don't fret, I'm referring to the acronym for seasonal affect disorder.
Is it something that affects you?

Like many people, you may develop cabin fever during the winter months. Or you may find yourself eating more or sleeping more when the temperature drops and darkness falls earlier. While those are common and normal reactions to the changing seasons, people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) experience a much more serious reaction when summer shifts to fall and on to winter.
With seasonal affective disorder, fall's short days and long nights may trigger feelings of depression, lethargy, fatigue and other problems. Don't brush this off as simply a case of the "winter blues" that you have to tough out on your own.

I am affected slightly by SAD. Just a day or two of some sunshine during the week is all I require but lately the sunny days (or partially sunny) have fallen on work days for me and my office is a windowless cell. I arrive for work just as day begins and leave the office when the sun is setting. Consequently, a couple of weeks without sunshine starts to show.

I am reminded of when Ashley was quite little, actually immediately after Travis was born. We used to take a daily walk around the neighborhood, and to the vegetable stand 1/2 mile down the road. At the time Ashley was VERY into Rainbow Bright, so much so that she "adopted" some of Rainbows mannerisms. One of these was to look at the sun. On one of these walks I caught her squinting at the sun and asked what she was doing. Her reply, "I'm getting my energy, that is where Rainbow Bright and I get our energy" Maybe Rainbow, and by extension Ashley, were pioneers in SAD therapy!

This afternoon though, during my swim, the sun did it's level best to make an appearance. The skies were still grey and the sunlight diffuse but it was there. As my swim progressed my joy increased. Probably endorphins from exercise had something to do with it but those little slivers of light were pure bliss. I left the pool after 2 miles and 1 1/2 hours in the water- my skin wasn't sun kissed but my soul and psyche were . . . . just what I needed!