At Night

As I sit here, at 3:50 am, I’m drawn to wondering what it is I like so much about the wee small hours.

I know that I should have been asleep three hours ago, but I don’t care. Common sense dictates that I should go to bed earlier, so that I can wake up earlier and enjoy more of my day. The problem with common sense, however, is that it isn’t always right. It just so happens that between two and five in the morning is my favourite time of the day.

I suppose it’s easy to see why. There’s no one to bother me, for a start, and for some reason, music always sounds better at night. It doesn’t matter what I’m listening to, I can guarantee that it will take on more meaning to me when I know that everyone else in the house is sleeping, and I know I’m the only here at this time, at this place, to enjoy it. Squarepusher, although somewhat overbearing during the day, at night becomes a thing of beauty.

At 3:50 am, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve paid your phone bill, or whether you have a looming deadline. None of these tasks can be completed, so there’s no sense in getting upset about them. The only thing you can do right now is kick back, drift away into another world, and let your mind wander in time with the music you’ve chosen as your soundtrack.

But do you know what the best part is? You don’t wake up when it’s dark and cold, wishing you could still be in bed, and dreading the journey to work. When you finally rise, it’s sunny and warm outside, and the world is vibrant and awake. There’s no morning depression for you, just an inner joy that today could be the best day of your life so far.

You get up, you see your family, you see your friends, you spend a delightful evening, surrounded by people you respect, admire, and perhaps love- for love is something that you get to spend more time contemplating in the middle of the night. And the best bit is that you’re doing it on your terms. You know that at some point around midnight, these people will drift away to their common sense sleeping patterns, but your night is only just beginning.

And you smile, knowing that once again you will be alone with your thoughts.