Moments ago—this very evening—immediately after flipping up the switch for our bedroom lights, I thought, “That overhead light is too bright.”

Never in my life before had I had that particular thought.

I’d heard Jane say it.

Many times.
In many situations.
 

It’s just that I’d never thought it.

In fact, until her first mention of it years ago, I didn’t know overhead lights could be too bright.

***

When I heard her first, second, and subsequently comment about an oppressive ceiling fixture, I thought, “she is nutter-butters.”

But then tonight happened.

I thought the thought.

Jane is still downstairs and I was put off by the oppressive glare of the overhead lights.

They were too bright.

I turn the oppressive thing off.

***

Consciously, or otherwise, we emulate those around us.

***

About a decade ago, a few years after my dad died, I overhear Jane counsel my mom about the grief process: “Ylain, you’re missing the person your brain co-regulated with for five decades.”

Until I hear Jane talk about this, I never have even thought about it.

Brains influence each other.

Mostly not-consciously, our brain mirrors the brains of those around us.

Jane and I have been tuning into each other’s moods and thoughts for more than two point five decades.

Which has led me to being oppressed by overly-bright overhead lighting.

***

I walk in the dark to my nightstand, turn on the table lamp, sit on the bed, and check Instagram one more time before sleep.