Night time is the right time.

I think I might have been an owl in another life.  Because I love the night.  It's when I really feel alive.  The hours from 10:00 p.m on are my most enjoyable, and most productive times.  The loneliness and anxiety I feel from about 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. has passed and I am calm and happy. I don't want to go to bed.  I don't want to give up my alone time, my quiet time.  A time when there are no more expectations of me for the day.  I have either met a deadline, accomplished something, or I haven't and in the silence of the night I will remedy that, or not.  My creative juices are flowing.  I do most of my writing then.  

Things look better to me at night.  My apartment is bathed in a warm cozy glow of lamplight, or candle light depending on my mood.  I can't see the dust bunnies or cat hair, or the scratches in my upholstery.  Outside the street in my downtown neighbourhood is quiet, all traffic gone till morning. Sometimes you could hear a pin drop in my apartment, it's that quiet.  I feel safe, and snug.

However, I do like to walk outside at night as well.  I don't know why I feel safer in darkness than in broad daylight.  Maybe it's because it's so anonymous.  My presence, and the presence of others is less obvious.  I often take my little dog out for her last walk well after midnight.  She is no protection for me, but I like to think she would so serious damage to the heels of anyone who threatens me.  At the very least her sharp, loud, bark is hard to ignore.  So we go out for our walk and I just listen to sounds around me.  Far off traffic, the bus, music and laughter from neighbouring apartments. And I feel the stress of the day melt away.  The night embraces me and holds me close.  I am never afraid outside at night.

Eventually I have to go to bed.  I usually sleep for several hours in the afternoon so I can stay up late. And I am like a child when it comes to going to bed. I put it off and put it off.  One more level on my games, one more email, one more check of Facebook, one more snack.  And then reluctantly, off I go, to get the rest to get me through the next day till it is night again.