There is a certain comfort that can be brought only by the night. Alone in the dark, our true selves emerge, leaving us in a state of bliss and serenity that is far too pure for the day. In the sun, we’re faced with all of our hardships and responsibilities; work, school, family, partners, along with thousands of other potential stressors. But, in the light of the moon, we’re allowed to relax. Even if just for a little while.

No one ever informed me, going into this, that the night would become the only thing that I could cling on to just in order to keep my sanity. I’ve noticed that the night brings out the best in me, just as the moon brings in the tide. With each sunset comes our time to shine; creativity and determination courses through our veins as we create art, make music, and write stories. But, alas. Along with all the good that our beloved moon brings, depending on how the man within it is feeling that night, it can also bring out the bad that naturally resides in us all. It can be argued, however, that these ‘bad nights’ are necessary— better yet, required for our own personal development. A fact of life, if you will. As moonlight floods our tiny bedrooms, we’re flooded with our own emotions and become overwhelmed with ourselves. We think, and re-think, and re-re-think so much that it causes headaches that ibuprofen is no match for. But, I suppose the migraine is all worth it in the end if it means that even for a few hours we get to be ourselves.

I often find myself thinking— no, dwelling— on this particular fact that I’ve come to learn about myself over the years of long nights spent alone in my room. Sometimes, I think that I’m saddened by my need for the dark. The quiet creates a stillness that can only be felt when we’re simply in our beds and reflecting upon our time spent in the previous days light, and what will come when we step into the next’s. And as the puddles of moonlight on our bedroom floors begin to dissipate, and the sun is pulled back up, we’re faced with the fact that reality still exists, and our responsibilities are all right there where we left them.

But, I know now that there is no real need to dwell on this. The night isn’t something to envy because of its simplicity, but rather to be cherished because of its complexity. Think of us as batteries, worn out by the day, yet recharged by the night. We shouldn’t get upset at the rising sun because even if our days are difficult and tortuous we know that we will soon have the night. For the night brings out the best in all of us— and lucky for us, the night will always be there to welcome us back, wrapping us up in its own comforting shroud of darkness.