Morning Phobic

I’m not a morning person so why am I an early riser? The day starts between 5 and 5:15 a.m. everyday right now because that’s what it takes to sit in the quiet dark, pray, write and get cleaned up. Come to think of it, I’ve gotten up early since childhood when my mom would get me up and dressed by about 5 a.m. so that she could get me to my cousins’ house before she had to be at work. I’ve always hated getting up early.

But as much as I fear leaving the comforts of a warm bed, which is a luxury given the state of the world at large, so much stands to be gained when the distractions of the day have not physically materialized yet. I told a friend of mine that if the culprits of evil plan their day, why shouldn’t I? As much as I fear the morning, perhaps I’m more afraid of doing nothing about my own spirit before a day chock full of volatile events and situations. It takes preparation to have global perspective concerning humanity. The morning is where the frontloading takes place mentally and spiritually. The only sacrifice is sleep but even that could be preempted by an earlier bedtime right?

In 2004-2005 I made a second attempt to play professional basketball, more for research purposes and because I had some definitive networks in my favor. I knew I could get in front of the right people if I just prepared my body for high-level competition. So I’d force myself to wake by 5 a.m. or so for weights before going to work, shooting hundreds of shots after work, playing in the evening and shooting again at night. But getting up early to do all fo those things wasn’t the same as what I do now. Simply put, that drained me and contributed to my Morning Phobia. What I’m doing before dawn these days does nothing of the sort.

If I can rouse myself from the clutches of the snooze button, I’m confident that I can hear the most clear voice of wisdom when I’m seemingly the least alert.