Gather ‘round and let me tell you a story about the dark sky that makes mid-afternoon feel like midnight, and the light source that makes it at all bearable. Once a year, winter appears with a quick chill of the ears and sudden craving for a vat of hot chocolate. It brings all things beautiful: holiday lights, white blankets of snow in the park and thoughtful gifts. But it also invites in the cold and heaping amounts of darkness. I came of age in upstate New York, where sunlight is gone by half past four in the afternoon the entirety of December and January. That’s to say this isn’t a new phenomenon for me, but that hasn’t made it any less painful. In fact, it has caused a feeling of dread that starts popping up come late September. But when I moved to Scotland, 4:30PM became nearly 3PM and the sun didn’t fully rise until well after I’d woken up. Even in London where I’m now based, it’s easily dark by 4PM on the shortest days. Like most people, the darkness leaves me exhausted while...
