Late Nights and Early Mornings

Written in Dec 2020

Growing up, I loved late nights. Not because I was having fun out and about with my friends; though, I did have those nights. I loved those late nights, particularly during the week, because it is so relaxing. The rest of the world was sleeping; or it was to me.

In Fort Wayne, IN, I loved going grocery shopping past midnight. Often, the floors were being cleaned or the produce was being stocked. There was a sense of independence; there was a sort of agreement between everyone at the store that everyone was there to be there alone. Or that's what I thought, but maybe there were people there reaching out for any human interaction.

There is a similar feeling of isolation in the early mornings. I loved knowing that I would have completed errands before most people had awoken. It would be a wonderful time to clean my car or get a couple of loads of laundry completed. I love the aura of the sun rising and the birds chirping.

In both cases, there is some sort of comfort in knowing that you're not alone. Both are extensions to the day. But they often have an entirely opposite mindset. Early mornings are early starts to the day and about getting the most from what is to come. Late nights are more about reflection about the past and how they can affect the future.

It's interesting that early in a person's life, they are expected to stay up into the late night. While later in life, people often start their days early. In my experience, I've often mixed it up; I love the differences in both and the feeling of the world during the extreme hours.