10 things to love about the night (from a circumstantial morning person)

By circumstance, I am a morning person. I consider the slow, optimistic stretch of sunrise to be my main reward for rolling out of bed in time to salute it.

But, my heart belongs to the night.

I love the cool juxtaposition of peace and anticipation a rising moon brings. I admire nocturnal creatures, with their wide eyes and curious sounds.

In an effort to convince a small person I know who is having trouble sleeping, and in pure celebration of a universal gift, here are 10 things I love about nighttime:

1. Jammies. Loose-fitting with soft-fabric and appealing patterns and designs, jammies feel like a necessary hug at the end of a long, potentially constricting work day. Say it with me now,”Ahhhhhh.”
2. Sunsets. Yellow to orange to purple to deep, dark blue, sunsets act like a celestial bow on the package of a full, busy day. I like to pause, wherever I am, to honor them. Purples sky at night, Laura’s delight.
3. Campfires. They crackle like a merry band of wood elves, smell like summer and shape shift in the very best, mesmerizing way. Stick an ordinary marshmallow on a wooden stick, wave it over those magic flames and I guarantee you’ll want s’more.
4. Stars. You can’t see them in the daytime, but they’re there. In the evening you can make a wish on them, discover constellations, imagine life beyond. Star light, star bright. You only see them when it’s night.
5. Coyotes. They sing at night, in an undulating chorus. Their song rolls through the air and you can’t help but hold your breath and listen. Bravo!
6. Fireworks. We drove home from Pennsylvania one memorable Fourth of July evening and witnessed magical sky shows from each city we passed along the way. Boom! Magic! Celebration! Joy!
7. The moon. I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and God bless me. Earth’s very own moon shows up in various stages every night and offers a glimpse into the world beyond. Imagine how thrilling it must have been for folks like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to look back to earth as they walked on the moon. Look up and know that everything single person on this big, beautiful planet sees the same moon you do each night. Think about how life on other planets might be seeing your moon too. Imagine what they might be thinking.
8. Owls. Our neighborhood hosts a large one and it hoots in a reassuring manner each evening. “I’m here. I’m watching. I’ve got your back and your lurking rodents,” it says.
9. Train whistles. By day they sound like annoyances, roadblocks to your busy schedule. At night, though, they sound like romance, exotic destinations and a recognition of a cooler time.
10. Dreams. At night, you can close your eyes and imagine every cool possibility of your life. Go big and imagine the impossibilities. Those last moments before you drop off to sleep offer golden opportunities to stretch the wildest resources of your humanity. Dream sweet, sleep well and know that tomorrow you get a whole, brand new day to enjoy.