Jennifer DaSilva: A Dark, Orange Glow

California’s woes took an ominous turn yesterday when the sun was replaced by an other-worldly, dark orange glow. It left Jennifer DaSilva to wonder: What have we got to do to make this go away?

Yesterday, I was on a conference call at 6 a.m., and then another at 7 a.m. It was a normal routine to get up early and begin working before home schooling starts.

I looked up around 7:30 and realized it was still dark. Where was the sun? Had the time changed? After all, time, in this crazy world we are living in, isn’t what it used to be. I put my head back down to my desk. At 8:45 a.m., it was still dark. Dark, but strangely orange at the same time.

The layer of smoke was so thick in the sky, I couldn’t see the sun. I got my kids up, and had to explain — the sun is still there, I am sure of it — you just can't see it.  It’s the one constant in the universe — every day, at least, the sun will always rise. Except yesterday. Had we finally gone and done it? Even the sun doesn't want to come out and I had to wonder if it would ever be willing to come back to this horror show of a world we have created.

I promised my children it would be okay — the smoke would lift — the clouds would part. We would see the sun shining down upon us, once again. It was still dark though well into the day and I worried how much longer I would be a liar to my kids.

I think I do “enough” ... I work at a nonprofit. I buy local — and organic! I recycle. I turn off the lights when I leave the room. I write get out the vote postcards, and donate to charities that I care about. I raise my children to be kind and tolerant. But it is not enough. Clearly. The sun did not come up that day! Whatever it is that I am doing, it is not enough, not nearly enough. Whatever it is that we are all doing — it is not enough. Perhaps if we do more the sun will come back to us.

With a Perspective, I’m Jenny DaSilva.

Jennifer DaSilva is founder and executive director of a nonprofit that helps under-resourced entrepreneurs start and grow small businesses. She lives in San Francisco.