For nigh on 25 years, I worked while everyone else slept. Working the overnight shift is a challenge all on it’s own. It takes a toll on your body, your brain, your relationships. The human body is not meant to be awake in the nighttime. But there are many who rise in the nighttime and live lives others can only guess about.

Many times over those 25 or so years, I would take a break and go for a ride. This was mostly to get fresh air and a change of scenery…not to mention being able to get away from the job, even for 15 minutes. I would get in my car and drive around. What always fascinated me was seeing lights on in homes at the hour when most should be sleeping. I’m not talking about lights on at midnight, or 5 am. That’s pretty normal. I’m talking about the 3am to 4am hours….the wee small hours of the morning.

Twice this week I have been out during those wee small hours. I see lights on in a home and wonder….what are they doing? Is there a baby that needs feeding? Is someone sick? Are you reading a good book that you just can’t put down? Does a person live alone in this big old house and finds comfort by leaving a light on all night? Does a blind person live there and have no concept of time? Of course I can never know what the answer is to why someone is up at that hour. But it is fun to guess!

What are you doing up at that hour?