To all the night owls
The kids are fresh after their showers, tucked under their blankets and slumber has overtaken them. My husband has retired after setting the alarm and watching some late night programming; he is off to wonder through the images and issues his sub-conscience deems fit.
The television is off. The lights are turned down low and I am in my favorite p.j.'s. The household has taken its nightly muted hum. The sounds of motors from various appliances, hearing the heat kick on and the ticking of the clock are the background music which I have come to appreciate over the years.
I have always been a night owl. I seem to crave the quiet and solitude the darkness offers. As a younger woman, I thought I gravitated towards nighttime activities because that was when all my friends would want to gather and raise a little hell. As a middle-aged mom, wife and homemaker, I find myself looking forward to the night for completely different reason than I did in my youth. The young tend to under-estimate the importance of tranquility.
This moment is all mine. I can hear myself think, just be instead of pushing to meet all the demands placed on me. I can devote a few hours to things that I find interesting...instead of finding time for necessary things. The chaos of the day is soothed by the relaxed atmosphere of my home at night.
I don't object to being a night owl anymore...