A love affair worth talking about.

Getting Old

 

You know I always thought that the idea of sleeping less as you got older was a myth.  I really did.  I am now, and have always been a night hawk.  It isn’t unusual for me to see two a.m, often even later than that.  I always needed my alarm.  Without the inevitable buzzing I would sleep until noon.  Without fail.  Sometimes even later. 

 

Lately however – like since I turned the dreaded 4-0 I’ve been waking up early.  Without my clock.  I can’t seem to sleep past 9, no matter how late I am up the night before.  Some days even earlier!  Last weekend I woke up just before eight *gasp* and there was no going back to sleep.  (on the weekend!!)

 

I really didn’t expect this of me, and anyone who knew me in my younger years (my god I sound like I’m a senior citizen here) anyways they would be shocked.  I could sleep through all alarms, including the fire alarm, without stirring.  The Great Sleeper, who slept like the dead.  Deeply and long, with great pleasure.  I had a serious affair with my bed.  A true, deep, lifelong love.  And now I could care less.  I’m apathetic.  I have fallen out of love with my bed.  It just doesn’t do it for me anymore.  I’m shocked.  I still long for the incredible emotional attachment I had with slumber.

 

At this rate I will be able to go without sleeping at all by the time I am sixty.  Think of all the stuff I could get done…I could write, I could binge watch all the television shows I could possibly want, I could turn my bedroom into the dream library I’ve always wanted.  (Although Mr. Gloria might have some issues with that – I am pretty sure he has some uses for the bedroom that don’t involve sleeping) 

 

I’ve discovered all sorts of things that happen in the a.m – farmers markets, garage sales, a peaceful visit to the grocery store, the quiet on my back deck as the birds chirp and awaken.  So many things I never expected.  So much beauty in the morning. 

 

My creative juices have also shifted, no longer writing until the middle of the night – I find myself more productive in the morning hours.  What the hell is happening to me?  Maybe aliens have actually taken over.  Either way, I guess it is time for me to accept the things that I cannot change.  To adjust my life to being a morning person.  To accept the challenges that come with a lack of sleep.  To accept that I am growing older and that this is a fact of life.  Wow.  With my lack of sleep comes a level of maturity I also find shocking.  Perhaps I will become easy going, a go with the flow girl: accepting everything…nah.  That’s pushing it too far.