It’s the middle of the night and my mind is wandering everywhere but towards sleep. Nothing especially amazing or difficult is happening in my life, yet I lay here thinking about the past, present, and future. About where that long lost thing might be that I haven’t seen for ages. About the rushing water guzzling down the gutter outside disposing of the rain that’s pattering across the roof. Thinking about tomorrow and what it might bring. Considering my plans for this next year and wondering if I will accomplish them.
What is it about the middle of the night that can put the brain into such overdrive? And why won’t the brain listen to my rational thoughts? Thoughts such as: hey stupid, you know that you have to get up for work in five hours? Yeah, just switch off and go to sleep. But no, my brain is on some sort of hyperdrive this night, flying me across time and space, showing me the faces of everyone I’ve ever known, playing back the memories of my life, and catapulting me through all my possible futures.
This ride continues for hours until it has burned itself out and I lay exhausted and calm, staring up at my ceiling and with my head now empty. It has taken awhile, but now I know that soon the sound of the falling rain will carry me off to sleep–in the middle of the night.