– “A Return to Daylight” by Mike Gates –
Driving east on the interstate, taking my son Nathan to the airport. I see the sun rising on the horizon.
My eyes adjusting as the sky goes from dark to light, slowly waking me up early in the morning. The night before did not give me much sleep, it never does.
A wandering thought crosses my mind, will the sun eventually blind me before I reach my first destination?
I prefer the day. I welcome the sun, its warmth, its light. But what if it blinds me while I am behind the wheel of my car? Why would I dread the sun? Especially when I anxiously await throughout the night, all night, for daylight.
Another thought crosses my mind, wait, it is a reminder, actually my son reminded me, soon I will be heading back home, going west, and leaving the sun behind me.
I reached the airport with clear visibility, no bright sun to blind my vision, I did it, I made it. At the terminal I handed my son his suitcase and we said goodbyes. Fun drive though, sad goodbye.
The signs at the terminal read, “Departures,” why does that word sound so depressing, “Departures?” What do we depart from anyway, do we ever really depart? Are we leaving or going? Are we escaping from or escaping to? Since it is a returning flight then how about just saying, “Returns” instead? We return home, return to vacation, return to sanity. A week ago, my son arrived at the airport, and now I have returned my son to the airport; he is returning to Texas. Strange how changing a word can change an emotion.
Driving west on the interstate, returning, not departing, to my home from the airport. I see the sun is now in full bloom behind me.
Wide awake and eyes fully adjusted, clear visibility, so I thought. The radiant rays of sunlight, very bright, so bright, have now blinded my rear-view mirror, reflecting into my eyes. I cannot see the vehicles behind me, how will I shift lanes not knowing what is beside me? I say a prayer, trying to calm my nerves. But then another thought crosses my mind, I waited for this, I waited for daylight, and now it is here, I have no need to fret. The fear of night is over. I smiled, I felt the warmth of the sun, I could see the light.
Driving north on the interstate, I am almost home. I see the sun risen high in the sky; I feel at home; I am finally home!
