Why can't the grass be purple and sky yellow?

We all have the same 24 hours in a day and I find it irritating, to say the least, that some people feel the hours that they choose to work, are in some way superior to anothers choice.

If you are a morning person and choose to awaken at dawn, congratulations to you. If you are a person who performs your best work at midnight but you don't like to rise til 9am or later, congratulations to you too!

"Nightowls" have success stories too but sayings such as "the early bird catches the worm" have forced some people into schedules that just don't suit their bodies nor their creative souls!

I love the reputation of the night owl - the WISE ONE!!!

The important thing is that you are do what is right for you, your body, your family, your profession/hobby/sport/task - whatever it is that you accomplish. There are only 24 hours available regardless of what time you get up. You do NOT gain an hour, or a day, or a month simply by getting up early. You have 24 hours and that is it! If you want to discuss productivity, that is another issue but you don't have to get up before dawn to be productive and I hate that there are people out there who try to force this methodology. You can be just as productive or more at five minutes to midnight if that suits you!

We are each distinct and different individuals and should be encouraged to remain so. There are so many people who feel that their way is the best way and anything else should be changed to conform.

I love to watch small children be who and what they naturally are. I cringe when I see them being taught that they have to colour inside the lines, to make sure the sky is blue and the grass is green. Why can't the grass be purple and the sky yellow? Why must they create things the same as everyone else?

Toddlers are so open and free. Everything is new and there is no fear. We, as a society, teach fear. We teach conformity. We squash their thinking outside the box and then try to re-create it later as adults. Public speaking has become the number 1 fear of adults but yet children are stifled in school and pretty much taught to not be themselves to make life simpler for the adults.

Yet, as adults, what is it we're all striving to be? The song "I want to be ME" comes to mind. "I did it My Way" follows :0)

Today can be the day you decide to become free - Free to be yourself. Free to honour your uniqueness. Free to work til 3 in the morning and rise only when you're rested! I have nothing against people who rise at dawn and cherish whatever peacefulness they find at that hour. If indeed that is what makes them happy. I do have a problem with people who go to bed at 8pm simply because they are exhausted at dragging themselves out of bed before they are rested because someone told them that is what successful people do. Not ALL successful people do this and, again, let's define Success!

Here is to purple grass and yellow skies - enjoy the weekend! (if it is a weekend for you - maybe Monday and Tuesday is YOUR weekend!)

Susan Emo, Gananoque and the 1000 Islands, Canada