It is March, so Daylight Savings Time has come back.  “Spring Ahead, Fall Back” means that we set the clocks ahead by an hour on Saturday night before bed.  On November 5, we clock“fall back” and get our hour of sleep back. There are some exceptions, though, depending on where you live.  Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time, but there are some reservations in Arizona who do observe it.  Hawaii has never observed DST.

Daylight Savings Time was first suggested by Benjamin Franklin as a way to have more daylight later in the day so that farmers and others could more productive during the warmer weather. DST was used in the United States just before WWI, but was abolished as unpopular after the war.

ben franklinCountries around the world started using DST for various reasons, including various places in the United States.  But it wasn’t until Uniform Time Act of 1966 that there was any attempt to legally mandate time zones and dates for changing back and forth between Standard Time and Daylight Savings Time.  The law included an opportunity for states to “opt out” – and Arizona immediately did so, along with Michigan.  (Michigan changed their collective minds a few years later.)

Arguments continue as to whether DST is practical these days, or whether DST should actually be the standard time all year.  We won’t go into those arguments here, but since this is the blog for those over fifty, I feel like I can render an opinion.

This morning in Central Florida, the sun rose at about 6:40 am.  By seven o’clock, we had full sunlight, although a bit foggy today.  On Sunday morning, the sun will rise at about 7:40, and many people will be driving to work in the dark on Monday.  But the sun will set at about 7:30 pm on Sunday evening.

Sunset Walk Beach Romantic Date Bench CoupleI like that.

Not a morning person, having the extra daylight time in the late afternoon/evening is great for me.  Evening strolls downtown, more evening time in the daylight, and all that works for me.

If there was ever a referendum in Florida to keep DST all year round, count my vote as a YES.