Today, I started reading The Breakaway: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner, an inspiring new book about love, family, friendship, secrets, and a life-changing journey. The story revolves around 33-year-old Abby Stern, who is content with her life despite not having a steady career and living in a college-like apartment.
Changing the Clocks is a SAD Time!
The Prius Clock Runs a Little Faster
On Sunday, we changed our clocks back an hour to standard time. As someone who has experienced changing times by falling back or springing forward throughout my adult life, I remember how challenging it was to make the changes with only analog devices. In my younger years, I would start making the adjustments as early as possible, but my wife and family were not happy with the early shift in time. Eventually, I would change them on Saturday one by one so we would be ready for the two a.m. switch.
However, living alone in a more digital age, I only had to change four analog clocks in my home and one in my car, which were easy to adjust, and I did not have even a moment of confusion. The clocks in my apartment included the stove, microwave, thermostat, and radio, and the Prius had one button for hours and another for minutes, making it simple to set the time. As always, I double-checked that I had set the time correctly by checking on my iPhone and Apple Watch.
The time was perfect on Sunday as I made one of my rare vehicular trips to the grocery store. On Monday, however, I noticed that the time was close to a minute faster, and my instinct was to reset it. But then, I remembered that this was my wife’s car, and she had set her clock four minutes before the actual time so she would arrive on time for a meeting.
Despite the challenges with each time change, I have learned to accept the things I cannot change. My wife’s Prius clock reminds me that some things are beyond our control, but I focus on what I can control. As the days get shorter and the darkness sets in, I acknowledge my Seasonal Affective Disorder and work towards finding ways to cope with it. By accepting and embracing the challenges that come my way, I can find inspiration and strength to move forward.
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It does not overcome every crisis that grief throws at me, but it helps.
I also know that it is what Jan would want me to do. In my darkest moments, I can hear her voice.
“Richard, you are capable, you are strong, and I believe in you.”
