celebrating.earth

This weekend, in honor of Earth hour, some friends and I turned off our lights and sat in the dark, talking to each other by candlelight. It was sort of new at first, our self-induced blackout; noticing how people always look more attractive by candlelight, trying to decide if we should play games, share ghost stories, or just nap. We sat around in the living room: K drifting in and out of sleep on the couch, P on the floor playing with candle wax, A and I snuggling in our blankets. L eventually came up from downstairs and sat with us too. We had about ten candles scattered about, and it made the room look different, almost magical, like we were in another time.

Eventually our talk began to drift back and forth, between random and amusing subjects. We tried to tell stories. We talked about our plans for the week, about our friends, and then to more complex conversation topics, like our place in the universe. Our words drifted in and out of the ever present silence, and at times we would simply stop talking and just sit there, thinking, looking. Our Earth hour began to stretch out, and when it came time for it to officially "end," we continued sitting there, in the dark, reluctant to turn on the lights and break this eerie peace. As it got later, I started to blow out a few candles, making the room even darker. Soon we would barely be able to make each other out. And eventually, Earth hour became Earth 4-hour.

It's interesting how time passes by both slowly and quickly while you're in the company of friends. We didn't talk about anything mind-blowing. We didn't reveal our darkest secrets, or goals or fears. We talked about everyday things, almost inconsequential, sometimes enlightening, but mostly ordinary. Things that could've been talked about on a regular day. But that night, it felt different. It wasn't the conversation that was important. It was the time spent, being in the presence of each other, and enjoying simply that, without the accompaniment of music, or television, or alcohol. People say we hardly ever make "face time" anymore, and it's true.