Chasing the Light

Greetings from Arizona.

Roxy soaking up the sun

We’ve lived in Anchorage for twenty-seven years now, but when my husband retired a couple of years ago, we started to spend part of the year here, in the high country of Arizona.  Alaska is delightful at Christmas, with snow on the mountains and ice skaters in the park, but come January, a visit to Arizona is a real treat.

It’s not so much the temperatures. Sure, it’s nice to be able to go outside in shirtsleeves, but I have plenty of cozy sweaters, coats, and hats to keep me warm in Anchorage. No, the thing we enjoy most about Arizona is the light.

Anchorage 2pm, Dec. 28

On winter solstice, Anchorage officially gets five hours and twenty-eight minutes of daylight. Of course that’s only on clear days, and only in the places that get sun. Notice in the photo above that the roof of the house is shaded. This time of year, the sun is so low on the horizon that the houses on my street are always in shadow.

Yavapai County, Arizona

Meanwhile, Arizona is awash with sunshine. Artists will tell you that the high altitude and low humidity made the light here particularly sharp and clear. I think it’s the time I spend living in the shadows that makes me especially appreciative of the light.

In romance novels, there’s a point toward the end of the story where everything goes wrong. Where we, the reader, can see that the hero and heroine belong together, but something is looming up to drive them apart -- one final hurdle they must overcome to earn their happy-ever-after. We call that the dark moment.


And only when our characters have fought their way through that dark moment can they come out on the other side, together. If there was no darkness, no obstacles, no struggle, there would be no story. It’s by experiencing the darkness with those characters that we can share in their joy when they find their way into the light.



We all have dark moments in our lives, big and small. Maybe the water heater springs a leak. It’s a huge mess and a big expense. But once we’ve cleaned up and gotten that new water heater installed, we appreciate that hot shower more than ever.

Have you experienced any dark moments lately that have made you thankful for the light?


Northern Lights #1
Northern Lights #2

Find more about Beth and her books at her website where you can also sign up for her newsletter. Or look for her on Facebook or Twitter.




Comments

  1. Farther south in Alberta--officially the sunniest province in Canada, I can still totally relate to the dark shadows. I have a dark moment I will describe in my Friday blog but for now, enjoy your exceptional Arizona light!

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    1. We are. I'll bet Alberta is lovely with all that sun. Do you ever get alpenglow?

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    2. I had to wikipedia that but according to the description, yes! Though I'm two hours east of the Rockies, so it's more usually observed there, I suppose.

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    3. We don't get it often, but once in a while the snow turns pink. It's lovely.

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  2. Had to laugh at your first picture, my dog Nacho sleeps on the lounge chair, too. Enjoyed your post :)

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  3. I love the photos, Beth! I’ve been to Arizona and was wowed by the ring of foothills and distant mountains cause I grew up in southwest, flat Ontario. My dream is to take that inland cruise to Alaska- maybe if I have cause in the future to celebrate. I like your segue from light into the dark moment of romance novels. I’ve had big and smaller dark moments. Losing my parents was big; writing rejections, in retrospect, were small. But as you conclude, as long as we can find the light after....Thanks for this post!

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    1. Losing anyone you love is a big one, but it's the price we pay for loving. I've never taken the Alaska cruise either, but we want to someday. The inland passage is supposed to be incredible.

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  4. Beth,
    When are you going to come visit Cathy, Roz, Leann, Patti, and me. We're the other Arizona girls. :)

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    1. I know, and I want to. Once I'm up here, I don't get out to Phoenix or Tucson much until it's time to catch the plane. One of these days. In the meantime, if you're ever heading this way, let me know.

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  5. Beth, I so appreciate your wanting to feel the light. When I lived in Seattle in the winter I went to work in the dark and came home in the dark. Because the office where I worked was inside I only saw light on rare occasions if I got to go out for lunch. It wasn't fun. Glad you get to share some of the AZ winter sun.

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    1. I know exactly what you mean. When my husband was working in an office, he made a point of walking outside everyday at lunch so he could see daylight. Fortunatley Anchorage has lighted trails, so he could ski at night.

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  6. Sort of related - I lived in Winnipeg for 17 years. It was cold in the winter, very cold. But that cold came with high pressure systems, and it was sunny. I think it offset the cold - less SAD because of the light. Now living in Toronto, and it's not as cold, but it's damp and gloomier. I don't miss the cold from Winnipeg, but I do the bright light.

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    1. Damp and gloomy is a tough combination. I'm sure that's why in Alaska and Canada the planes to Hawaii and the Caribbean are full in the winter.

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  7. Hi Beth! Your Heartwarming sounds great, and I can't wait to get my hands on it! You're so right about the dark moments in novels...and real life. I've survived a couple by adopting the "What to do about that HUGE spider" mindset: Ignore it, and maybe it'll go away on its own... LOL

    Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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    1. Aw, thanks. I love the "huge spider" analogy. Funny how sometimes the things we worry about most do get up and go away on their own.

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  8. Hi Beth! This is a beautiful blog! I love your perspective on the light and shadings of dark. I lived in North Dakota for four winters (we never counted years there, only winters LOL!) and it was something to see the daylight fade so early. Thank you for this thought provoking blog... I'm carrying your insights with me as I work on my Alaska series for Desire. Cheers, Cathy

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Hi, Cathy. So glad you enjoyed it. North Dakota winters are no joke -- much more intense than Anchorage. Is this your Alaska Oil Baron's series? I'm looking forward to it.

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  9. PS Adorable pup in the photo! And I'm downloading your most recent book to read on the plane next week. :) ..... Cathy

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  10. I was just telling a friend that here in WI we're in that time of winter where thick and thin ice is everywhere and we all look at the ground when we walk. Arizona sounds very good right now. My daughter's in-law family is going through a dark time. My son-in-law's dad died and it's a case of both a blessing and a loss--he's not suffering, but we all miss the person he was before dementia took him away. So, light and dark kind of mixed together with his death. Thanks for the lovely post.

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    1. Oh that's a tough one. Missing someone, knowing they're in a better place, but still they leave a hole and with dementia you've all been experiencing that hole for a long time. I hope the good memories bring some light for them and for you.

      And I know exactly what you mean about ice. In winter I walk with itsy-bitsy steps because if my feet go out from under me, bad things happen.

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  11. I enjoyed your post, Beth. I'm with you, I love the light. That's why I live in the Sunshine State!

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  12. I love your pictures--and I love the light, too!

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  13. A few years ago our family took the Inland Passage on a seven-day cruise. It was the last cruise of the season (supposed to be cold and rain) but the weather was excellent. We didn't even have to wear our coats. I sat in the library and typed on my Alpha Smart NEO in front of giant picture windows looking out over Orca Whales, and eagles. This is a trip well worth the $ and time. Coming from Tucson, Arizona we were in a totally different world.

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    1. I really have to do that cruise. It's funny how, when you live somewhere, you don't go see all the things the tourists see. We did a ferry ride from Whittier to Valdez, and it was spectacular, so I can only imagine all the scenery on the cruise.

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  14. Beth, you know why I chase my light. These darkness revolve around my brain!!! Brain aneurysm and blood clots are my darkness. Jesus promised to held my hand, and He brings me light!!!!

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