Early Bird

Why would one become a morning person

It's dark and silent when I stir out of sleep. I stay in bed until I hear the tinkling sound of the puja bell from my neighbour's home. The street is so quiet that the faintest of sounds can travel much farther. Like the sound of the lady cleaning the staircase in the opposite house. And footsteps of the early walkers pacing up the street. 

If I don't pay attention, I won't be able to hear the first bird call just before daybreak. And very soon, it's the onset of the birdsong hour! Until the squirrels wake up and take over the airwaves, it's the chili-pili of their activity in the neighbourhood trees that becomes the background score for my morning. 

From the window, I watch the sunlight gently seep into the neighborhood and bring back to life every street, every room and every leaf. In a while, my eyes can see the surroundings with utmost clarity before the dust, the noise and the harsh sunlight overwhelm me.

No matter which city one lives in, for most part of the year, this time of the day offers the best weather conditions to be outdoors. Walking only a few meters from the house, I feel like sprinting out of joy. That's just how good my whole body feels to be stepping out from the concrete enclosures.

A fellow morning walker outpaces me. He is also holding his phone in one hand playing bhajans on it. Everyone is contributing to the morning raga. The chatty birds, bhajans from phones, hymns from the church and the municipal workers sweeping our streets. It gladdened me when I realized how the milk delivery men don't use any blaring horns to announce themselves at this hour. They have opted for gentler sounds of the old-school bicycle bell or the old-school air horn. They complete the neighbourhood symphony. 

Without the fear of speeding vehicles, I can safely look up at the trees lining our streets as I walk under them. I am in awe of how they are continuing to thrive surrounded by our buildings which have also started growing taller and taller. I feel grateful for our city planners who planted the trees and the lawmakers who passed the laws that ensure our trees are not (so easily) felled to make space for a building. 

At first, the street dogs are all resting after what must have been a (usual) hectic night for them. They jump out of that slumber when the pet dogs step out for their walks. Some growl, some sniff, some even play together for a while before going back to their homes. And some lucky street dogs are fed treats from their humans. 

There are only about 3-4 people I know well enough in my neighbourhood to greet in the mornings. And yet, I get a vicarious pleasure from seeing other people greeting each other on the streets. There's no shouting, no loud honking, and no harsh language at that hour. After a restful night’s sleep, with our batteries fully recharged, 6-7 am seems to be the peak hour for human cheer.

I was trying to recall a quote I had read in the book ‘The Gift: How the Creative Spirit Transforms the World’ by Lewis Hyde¹. I was unable to locate the exact quote but when I went searching, I found a similar thought by Robert Kiyosaki who has co-written the worldwide bestseller ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ with Sharon Lechter.²

Whatever you want in life, you've got to give it away first

This is what us morning persons are doing out there everyday. We want a gentle and cheerful start to our days and we are ensuring everyone around us gets one.

1. https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2019/09/16/the-gift-of-lewis-hydes-the-gift/

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Dad_Poor_Dad