Adjusting to the "Spring Forward"

Having just "sprung forward", I can tell you that there probably won't be much of a spring in my step for a few days until my body adjusts to the loss of an hour of the precious weekend. Why doesn't the time change take place during the week (preferably on Monday) so as not to rob us of a part of the weekend. I had just as soon that we refrain from tampering with nature altogether and leave the blessing of time just the way that God gave it to us. But if we have to have Daylight Saving Time (DST) at all, it might be easier if we just stayed on it year round avoiding the twice a year disruption that comes when we flip flop back and forth.

Governments often promote DST as an energy conservation measure because it substitutes summer afternoon sunlight for electrical lighting. Critics, on the other hand, argue that the energy savings are overstated and that, in some cases, DST can boost energy consumption and costs, especially when it comes to increased usage of air conditioning. Artificially delaying sunrise and sunset tends to increase electricity usage in the morning and reduce it in the evening. Savings occur if the evening reduction outweighs the morning increase. Currently there is no clear evidence that electricity will be saved by the 2007 U.S. time change.

Golf courses, convenience stores, and other businesses benefit from extra afternoon sunlight. DST, however, can adversely affect farmers and others whose hours are set by the sun. For example, grain harvesting is best done after dew evaporates, so when field hands arrive and leave earlier in the summer their labor is less valuable. Further, clock shifts disrupt sleep patterns, and correlate with decreased economic efficiency and productivity.

Since it was first implemented in the United States in 1918 as a wartime conservation measure, DST has become firmly engrained in our culture. So like it or not, it's time to accept it and make the transition to the "spring forward" as swift and smooth as possible. Even though the effects of that lost hour of sleep might be apparent for a day or two, I'll try to be as bright and upbeat as possible when I greet you for "The Great Day in the Morning Show" each morning at 6:00 DST, provided we all remembered to set those clocks up one hour!

In closing, I'd like to thank the volunteers of Hospice of Patrick County who suprised me by presenting me with a community service award at their meeting last week. I feel like I should be giving Hospice an award for the caring, compassionate, and very competent service they gave me and my family in caring for "My Sweetie" Sandra before she went home to join Jesus in Heaven. I am deeply honored and appreciative of the award from one of the most respected community service organizations in our county, Hospice of Patrick County. Let's all support their fund-raising projects!

Until next time, may God bless you with a "great day"! Make the most of that extra daylight!

Lovingly yours,
Richard