It’s time for another one of my famous three-part columns, where my mind jumps to three different topics I must share with you all at once. Here we go:
1. Bugs
Most of us know life changes when we become parents. One unexpected thing for me was all I’ve learned thanks to being a mom.
Last week, I was enjoying a chat in the park with my dear friend Cara. I saw something out of the corner of my eye – a little creature leaping into our shelter. And I mean little – an insect.
“Oh! I see a big ol’ bug over there,” I said, bounding from the picnic table to check out what had landed on my bike tire. Thankfully, Cara isn’t squeamish, and we both bent over to check out the little guy – a grasshopper.
“I love grasshoppers!” I exclaimed.
Pre-Mom Amy would never have paid attention to bugs. In fact, she often squished them, which I now regret. My oldest son Jonathon fell in love with insects at an early age. In fact, one of his (and our) favorite Halloween costumes was the time Jonathon dressed as an entomologist – a scientist who studies insects.
Equipped with a butterfly net, battery-operated bug catcher, fake glasses, a magnifying glass, and a floppy hat, Jonathon looked truly adorable. He taught me to appreciate insects and their benefits (even spiders). Now, if I see one in my house, I’m the queen of the “glass and paper swoop,” scooping up the creature and setting it safely outside.
2. Sunrise alarm clocks
It’s been tough waking up lately, hasn’t it? And yes, while we turn our clocks back an hour this weekend, eventually we’ll return to those dark mornings as winter arrives. One of my favorite things to help is having a sunrise alarm clock.
A sunrise alarm clock, or light alarm, gradually brightens your bedroom, using light to help you wake up naturally. This makes so much sense to me.
When we go to bed, we don’t fall asleep instantly, at least most of the time. So why should we force ourselves to wake up instantly? I know there’s the good old snooze button, but this can leave us feeling even more groggy in the morning. I’ve had a sunrise alarm clock for a couple of years now, and it’s been life changing. When I get out of bed at the time I’m supposed to, I don’t feel sleepy. Instead, I’m ready to go!
If you need a little help waking up, especially now, I highly recommend getting one of these clocks.
3. Hygge
Speaking of darkness … while it’s awesome to gain some morning light this coming weekend, it means we lose evening light. This is your yearly reminder to help this situation by embracing the Danish and Norwegian concept of hygge (pronounced HOO-guh).
Our columnist is ready for the dark evenings thanks to her hygge kit. (Photo provided by Amy Shankland)
Hygge means “comfort or console.” The early evening darkness can beckon us to enjoy candles, a fire, soft blankets … anything to create the feeling of coziness and warmth.
I used to despise winter, and it wasn’t even the cold or freezing conditions that troubled me the most. Battling the darkness was the worst. Thanks to discovering ways to embrace the darkness through hygge, rather than fight it, I’ve learned to appreciate the dark, quiet evenings. It’s a chance to slow down, breathe, and enjoy some of the simpler things in life.
Amy Shankland is an empty-nester, writer, and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John and two dogs. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.
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