What a difference some sunshine makes. In these last few days, it’s as though the gray clouds that have hovered over the Island for months have lifted — not only literally, but figuratively. It’s as though the Island is breathing a sigh of relief. At last.

Monday night, the homeless people who gather in the Village Green to eat sandwiches delivered up by a handful of compassionate souls sat on the tables in rolled-up shirt sleeves, looking relaxed rather than cold.

At the Red Bike, families munched on burgers and sushi, next to windows open wide. At La Boucherie, white linen covered the outdoor tables, not far from a cherry tree awash in pink.

And from what we could observe from our window onto the town as we put the final touches on the paper Monday evening, teenagers, relishing spring break, strolled down the streets in T-shirts and shorts, looking for all the world as though summer had arrived.

It’s been a tough winter on Vashon. Businesses have struggled. Many families are hurting financially. The lines are longer than ever at the food bank.

But sunshine has a palliative effect. Sure, the issues that are facing the Island, the state, the nation haven’t gone away. But give us a little Vitamin D, and all of us, it seems, have just a bit more joy in our hearts and spring in our step.

The weather is slated to turn cold and wet later this week. But at The Beachcomber, we’re not thinking about that right now. We’re thinking about putting this week’s issue of the paper to bed, so we can get out there, soak up a few precious rays and contemplate the larger meaning of life while the sun is still shining.