Why I Love Daylight Savings Time

So did you know I love Daylight Savings Time? Well I do. I know. I know. Lots of people don't like the adjustment. It throws off their body clocks for a week or so. They have to fight to get kids in bed. They lose that hour of sleep. It is one more thing they have to think about. Yes, yes, I've heard all of it, but I still love it.

I'm not exactly sure how to express what I love about it except to say that I like that everyone is doing something at the same time. Acting at the same time. And it is a benign act, nobody is being forced to go to church or eat something or go through a medical procedure. We all just show up to school, the grocery store, the soccer game, etc. an hour earlier or later, depending on the season.

Everyone, at the same time. I find strength in that. There is a special kind of strength and energy in a situation when everyone has a similar objective. I feel that same energy in a huge stadiums, whether I am at a concert or a football game or gathered with other LDS to hear the prophet speak; where the purpose and focus are the same for everyone involved.

It can be happy and fun. It is why I loved being in plays and choirs, or listening to a great band or orchestra. It is why I can't ever get enough of things like this:

or this or this.

It can be noble and honorable. It is why I loved being apart of the military community. People sacrificing and working unbelievably hard for the safety and peace of people they don't even know. You can't imagine the mixture of feelings before a deployment. The pride and fear and duty and excitement and tradition, during a casing ceremony as a division of men prepare to go into harm's way, is almost tangible. At once selfish and selfless, every soldier and family members' hearts and minds are in the same place.

It can be comforting and compassionate. It is why I love being a part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. People committed to the concepts taught by Jesus Christ in the New Testament, trying to do what is right and finding ways to serve those around them. Extremely organized and wanting to do good, Mormons are especially good in a crisis. It is a beautiful thing to watch members of a ward rally around a family in need. And it is unspeakably moving when yours is the family being served.

It is about working separately and together. It is how I feel when I am driving my children to school. Doing the same dance as hundreds of other families in our community every morning; A careful dance of traffic laws, social rules and bell schedules. Acting separately but working with the same goal of educated children and contributing members of society, parents pack lunches and sign papers and give quick kisses and last minute words of encouragement.

I find a power and hope and community in all of those things.

Robin called me last week:

Robin: Mom, I just realized that Arizona doesn't have Daylight Saving Time and I thought that was really going to bug you.

Me: I knew that and it does but I am trying not to think about it too much. I think I'm just going to write a long boring blog post about it.