A Love Letter to My HappyLight SAD Lamp

By Jen Roventine

Dear HappyLight SAD Lamp, 

Before we met, I was in a dark place. A cold, lonely place called Minnesota. With sunset at 4:32pm and temperatures in the single digits, I spent endless dreary, overcast days hiding under a pile of blankets, wishing for a miracle (or a cruise) to banish the winter blues. 

Then you came along with your unwavering brightness and changed my world. Soon I succumbed to your intense light and now I bask in it every day. We started off slow, just 15 minutes at a time, but our relationship grew quickly and now our 1-2 hour morning sessions are the highlight of my day.

Your gentle hum is like music to my ears, a luminous lullaby filled with endorphins. Every time I click that button, your beaming smile chases all the melancholy away. At that moment, gazing into your radiance, I know that you are the one I want to spend every day with from now until the spring equinox. 

You see, HappyLight, you’re more than just an inanimate desk object. You’re my daily dose of full-spectrum light in a world (cough, Minnesota) that’s often ugly and gray. In this frozen land of 10,000 lakes, you’re the 10,000 lux that keeps me going until the spring thaw. When I spend time with you, my mood lifts, I feel more energy, and my focus is restored. I’ve come to rely on you as much as my morning coffee, and that’s saying a lot. 

I cannot imagine going through winter without you. You have been there for me on the darkest days and I know I can always count on your sunny gaze whenever I need a pick me up. For that, I am eternally grateful. 

Love, 
Jen

Originally Published December 6, 2021.