It is no time to be up, not when it is not necessary. Even Ani has got the general idea that just because I am up doesn’t mean it is time for her to wake these days but I love the quiet hours of the morning. There is something in that silence when you know you will not be disturbed, when the world around you sleeps and it seems as if even the pressure of the busy thoughts of others is withdrawn in slumber. Dreams linger, inspiration creeps in through the crack in the door and, for the only hours of the day, the soggy tennis ball is not on my lap. It is the best time of day to write.
You wouldn’t think it would matter. The small dog and I write and work most of the day and evening. Emails still come in night and day from across the world, student journals can just as easily arrive before dawn as at teatime, texts start before the alarm clock and social media never sleeps. Not that I am complaining… it is wonderful to be able to communicate instantly across the world, regardless of time zones.
However, it is true that in terms of technology the diurnal rhythm has gone right out of the window. Where our forefathers rose and slept with the sun for purely practical reasons, electric lighting and entertainment have lengthened our days, the rule of ‘nine to five’ defines them, even though so many now work unsociable hours. The seventh day, the day of rest when thoughts were turned to the sacred has been drowned out by the pressure of seven day working and the need to catch up. Even pleasure has been slotted neatly into the time frame. Although many do enjoy their jobs, it has ceased to be a prerequisite and most work simply to earn a living, seeing those who love their work and get paid for it as ‘lucky’.
Though it is easy to dream, given a realistic choice most of us would not go back to a simpler time. We like our gadgets and those luxuries we have come to accept as mere conveniences… like an inside toilet, heating system and hot water on tap. When I was first married, the little back to back terraced house we took was due for demolition within a couple of years. The shared toilet was in an outhouse at the end of the street, there was neither heating, except from the coal fire, cleaned and built fresh daily, nor hot water unless you boiled it. It was not all that long ago either…
Continue reading at The Silent Eye
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Sue, I love this post and I remember a time too when life wasn’t as fancy (only one bathroom, one bath/shower stall, one bedroom for 3 sisters (although it was a big bedroom) and we walked to elementary school in all kinds of weather – like snow, rain, summer meltdown heat. We never complained.
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Things don’t have to be complicated to be good 🙂
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Yes and that is so true. Life was less complicated, it was a simple time, more innocent and perhaps kinder too.
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Or perhaps people were…
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Sue, that is so true and I agree. People did seem less complicated or perhaps they kept things to themselves much more than this generation. This generation tends to share much about their lives with many others. I don’t know if this is a good thing or not. time will tell.
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We share trivia instantly and preserve little for the future…I wonder what we will look like when seen from there? 😉
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Sue, that is so true and I wonder too and oh my gosh. Well that is something to look forward too, I guess. 🙂
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🙂
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Some days I realise I’m at my computer from … well, far too long. 🙂 … I used to give myself a hard time about it, but then I looked a little closer and saw that I also have days where I’m outside mostly, and other days where it’s indoor tasks, so now i just go with the flow and know that it all balances out in the end. 🙂
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That was weird. I had to sign into my WP account, which I’m already signed into, to post my comment. Hopefully it shows up OK at your end. 😀
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I’ve been having the same issues. Along with reblogs not reblogging. Hittng refresh seems to resolve it. Also, notifications showing up a week late and really erratic stats.
The gremlins are playing again…. 😦
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I seem to have found a better balance this summer… and hope winter won’t change that too much 😉
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