I am among the rare and most misunderstood morning people.
I mean morning, like 0400 (4am), each and every day.
I rise with a song on my lips and energy to pull on my boots, jeans or slacks, shirt, and start my day! No coffee required.
This behavior is so poorly understood by most people who…
…are not morning people. I mean true morning people. Most people are not truly a morning person, like I am.
Ever since childhood, I always woke very early. I love the early morning. Quiet. Peaceful. Serene.
Bright moonlight and starshine. Quiet solitude in the house and the first couple hours in the office. I can get so much done!
Back when I was in elementary, junior high, and high school, that is when I would do my homework. Yep… shhhhh… don’t tell my Mom. She would ask me at night when I was going to bed at 8pm, “have you finished your homework?” And I would reply, “it will be ready to turn in tomorrow.” I never lied, but I also didn’t answer the question. (N.B., by the time I got to high school, Mom had figured it out. But since I was pulling straight As, she did not try to make me change my habits.)
In college, I lived off campus. I could not live in a dorm with students who were up all night making all sorts of noise. Nope… not me. I was very active in many campus activities, and would drag myself home at 10pm after a meeting ran late (usually two or three times each week.) But I still would rise at 4am, pull on my jeans, Frye boots, and shirt, and drive or ride my motorcycle to campus. Arriving so early, I could guarantee a close parking space! I would go to the “24-hour room” in one of the libraries and study until my first class, which always was (by choice) at 8:00am.
During my working career, I was always rather fortunate to be able to arrange my work hours to be early. Even today, I arrive at work around 0530, even though I really don’t have to be there until 0600. Then I can leave at 1500 (or more likely, 1530 or 1600…) but I am able to apply my best thinking and best skills during the time I am most fresh, energetic, and creative. Early! (Also, admittedly, I like having a couple hours before dinner in the afternoon to do personal things.)
As I said at the top of this post, most people are not morning people. They think that everyone else operates on their later-day operating routine. For example, I see many friends posting about going to out to dinner to see a movie or show at 8pm on a weeknight. Or someone at a meeting I attended last night was talking about the change to autumn, and said, “many of you now will be riding your motorcycle home from work in the dark.”
Nope… I ride my motorcycle TO work in the dark. Except for a few weeks of twilight around the summer solstice, it is always dark when I ride to work. (That is why I have so many lights on my Harley!) And I can’t imagine going out at 8pm or later during the week to see a show or to eat.
I do recognize that I pay the price on the other end of the day. By 2000 (8pm), I’m done; wasted; dog tired. I usually go to bed, even on weekends, by 2030.
Oh well…. it works both ways.
Usually, my bright and peppy early morning good cheer is … ignored. A few people even grumble about it.
Oh well, to them and to all, I say, “too bad you don’t know what you’re missing! GOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING!”
Life is short: love the mornings!