Just for the record, I don't hate the sun

Too bad every morning doesn't look like this! Image: David Yu/Flickr.

The sun and I have a long, drawn out, off again/on again, love/hate type of relationship. Here's why: In 2010, when I was diagnosed with an early-stage melanoma, I realized that after years of sunbathing, I'd never be able to lie out in the sun again without worrying.

Luckily for my skin, my hometown of Portland, Oregon is notorious for being covered in dark, grey clouds from October to June. So imagine my surprise when I left for work Wednesday morning and discovered a bright blue, luminous sky. Seriously. It was breathtaking. My theory is that the election finally ended and the clouds parted (just kidding, kind of). I'm not sure what caused the break in the clouds, but I loved it. The combination of the bright sky and the crisp fall air.

Throughout the day, the sunshine had a lasting impact on my mood. After I got to work, I was indoors until it got dark out, but I occasionally stole a glimpse or two from the window and the sun was still there.

It's no secret that energy from the sun sustains life on our planet. But it amazes me how much of an impact it can have on our moods. Just for the record: I don't hate the sun. I just recognize that, like almost anything, too much of a good thing is, for lack of a better word, bad. As long as we don't take sunbathing to excess, I like to think melanoma survivors can live a relatively normal life, which includes smiling when the sun comes out and playing outdoors.

Happy almost Friday! Have a great weekend.