LET THERE BE LIGHT

The sun was behind the clouds so I waited and clicked this as it emerged. In a split second, the sea went from dull and drab to shimmering. Who needs a cyanometer to read the blueness of the sky when you have light? If it were water, I’d pour it along mountains, over rivers and streams and across the sky like diamonds. It’s also crucial for photosynthesis, regulates our hormones, and induces sleep. What’s not to like?

Recently, I spent a night in a hotel and realized I had forgotten to bring a nightlight! Having once walked into a closet at 2 AM in search of the bathroom, I flew immediately to the reception desk. They had a zillion iPhone chargers and even a Game Boy, but not a single nightlight. It took housekeeping almost 2 hours to find one. When they finally knocked on my door and handed it to me, I was downright giddy.

I’m a lightaholic. I string lights around my cacti, wind them along the walls surrounding my house and up the driveway. I carry two flashlights in my car: one fl…