“One may not reach the dawn save by the path of the night.”

– Kahlil Gibran

Today is a school holiday.  My teenager will likely rise at the crack of noon.  My sweetheart set the alarm clock a half-hour later than usual, knowing that there would be no jockeying for position in the bathroom this morning.  As I settled in last night, I told myself that this would be a golden opportunity for me to snag some extra sleep.  The first time I awoke was at 2:30 AM.  I had been dreaming one of those dreams that is filled with puzzles and dilemmas.  One by one I had solved them; and maybe I wanted to open my eyes and see whether that ability to untangle challenges also would follow me to the waking world.  I willed myself back to sleep and spent two deep, dreamless hours of bliss before my internal alarm sounded at 5:00AM.  Enough of this, I thought; and with a stretch and a yawn, I slipped out of bed into the morning darkness.

Maybe it’s the buzz in the air as the full moon has taken over the night sky.  Just before bed last night, I saw her glowing through the clouds and sending a diffuse, hazy light through the veil of night.  I thought of the morning to come and what sorts of colors those clouds would display when the sun took over the day shift.  Who could sleep with all that anticipation swirling through the night?  Perhaps there is additional excitement of promised springtime temperatures today.  Whatever the reasons, I’ve found myself once again enjoying the still, dark hours just before the break of day.

There have been many times in my life when Gibran’s words would apply to overcoming hardship or difficulties.  Today they apply only in the most literal sense.  When the moon is full and casting her spell on the swirling darkness, when the land of dreams fills my mind with hope for success, when the promise of another day shines with such intensity, there is no chance that this will be the day to sleep in.  When I remove the word “should” from thoughts of sleeping late, I find myself left only with gratitude for a spirit that loves the night as well as the day and rises to greet the dawn.