Yes, Night, and … Day

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Gen. 1:3).

On the first day of creation, God created a “yes, and …”

Yes, light. And yes, darkness. And yes — to everything in between.

After this first day, each new day of creation was marked by an original expression: the times between light and dark, day and night, morning and evening. Each day of creation, as read in the Bible, ends with, “And there was evening, and morning …” signifying multiple points — a spectrum — of origination for this day’s creation.

“Day” itself hosts a variety of meanings depending on the context of its use in relation to astronomy, physics or various calendar settings. Since the beginning of time, humans recognize the beauty, complexity and opportunity of light, through the identification of unique expressions such as: daytime, morning, noon, afternoon and evening. The same goes for darkness. There is twilight, dawn, sunrise, sunset and dusk. We use terms like midnight, dead of night, witching hours, and “after hours,” to identify specific aspects pertaining to “night.”

“Midday” is used as both a noun and an adjective, as in “midday sun” — a time of day where the sun sits at its highest point and UVB rays are most intense. Some suggest avoiding the sun at this time, others argue it’s the best time of day for absorbing Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, a necessary resource for achieving optimal health.

Even more, humans have coined unofficial definitions of day like blue hour, “the period of time just after the sunset, around dusk when the sky takes on inky, indigo hues and before it becomes impenetrably black” (Science.com). Or golden hour: “the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset, during which daylight is redder and softer than when the sun is higher in the sky” (timeanddate.com).

Think about all the colors light makes visible. From three primary colors we’ve discovered seven distinct colors of the rainbow. Upon further learning and development, scientists now account for the presence of over 18 decillion colors. A decillion consists of 33 zeros in case you were wondering.

Skilled sportsmen are prime examples for easily explaining the value of understanding these nuances between night and day. The most successful sportsmen perform in early morning or evening light, intersecting within a certain season depending on the fish and game in mind. Whitetail deer, for instance, move about at twilight in the winter season, while trout are active at dawn, in the spring. These intricate understandings become delicacies to those who desire to learn and continue developing.

In every verse of Genesis chapter 1, we read about a “yes, and …” that God created, how it was “good,” and in every new “day” of this creation story we can account for an array of markers constituting a spectrum of expression. In the gospels, even Jesus’ words attest to this as, “I have much more to say, more than you can bear …” (John 16:12) suggesting there is so much more for us to learn and understand.

Yet, some humans insist on pressing a belief that there’s nothing between male and female. They have chosen to camp out, create a fort, contrive political talking points, divide people, and cause collective strife on it. Don’t get me wrong, I love camping — born in Alaska, raised on a commune — but camping is meant to be temporary, otherwise, it’s no longer camping but a way of life.

Our work as evolving humans demands we pay attention, being careful to not allow primary understandings construct campgrounds in our minds for fundamentalism, lest we unknowingly volunteer ourselves to a career as camp host. Recognizing spectrums of human expression, between male and female, not only honors the complexity of a “god of creation,” but it also strengthens an ability to consider and adjust in response to a an ever-developing humanity.

In the past, “survival of the fittest” referred to physical strength and external power. Now, in this ever-changing world, binary thinking is reserved for pawns and court jesters, while emotional intelligence and internal power present themselves as King and Queen.

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Melinda Cadwallader is a Coeur d'Alene resident.