Last night it was hard to fall asleep. After the day off on Monday and having a doing-nothing sort of long weekend, all I wanted was a good night sleep. On my mind was the yoga class the next morning and a start to the work week.
But it was not easy. We hit the bed to toss and turn every few minutes. To singing of the birthday song and a late night party. Right next to the bedroom window, a group of friends was out in the open balcony having fun. Their voices were buzzing in my ears. The clinking glasses, the loud music and non-stop chatter. By that time, we had made our way into the next day. I kept checking my phone to calculate how many hours of sleep would I be able to get if I manage to get up for Yoga.
Efforts were going in vain. I counted down from ten many times. Then there was finding-the-right-posture way that also failed. Water came to rescue in between but then the trips to loo made it worse. I could also hear a bike zooming by somewhere far off however the noise around was still winning the challenge of dins.
As I thought of celebrating a birthday starting midnight and then a late night party, I thought of our twenty-something days. I have been there. Clinking glasses and singing songs. Playing dumb charades till the wee hours of the morning. There used to be no thoughts of deliverables the next day or workout sessions.
These are but different days of life. We kiss each other good night and then wake up the next morning with birthday or anniversary wishes in tow. Now singing songs in the middle of night sounds too much to handle. It takes a toll on the next day and the cranky self tells me to stop blogging the next night and hit the bed.
Life is but phases. From the ones that’s normal to the one that now sounds normal. Each past phase seems to have people who we have been. It’s hard to see ourselves in the next phase but looking back and comparing with how we were is far easier. It’s acceptance to the new normal and it is also the openness to get replaced by the generation that’s behind us.
The acceptance takes time but it finally lets me sleep to get to the yoga class and a fresh start to the work week.
Writing for Yeah Write #282 today.
happiness and food 
I completely understand what you’re experiencing. I hate when my neighbors create too much of sound late night and I am very vocal about my thoughts, so they know they don’t want to agitate me. Personally, I have done a lot of crappy things at night during my 20s at my friend’s place or even on the streets of Mumbai, but I have never disturbed anyone in any way. I always make sure I live my life quietly.
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Good that you are vocal. I’m a big introvert when it comes to standing up for myself. But I’m learning.
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I have to fight myself not to look at the clock on nights that I can’t sleep. If I do, I stay awake longer doing those calculations you talk about and worrying that I will fail at everything I have to do the next day because of no-sleep!
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Ok, so I’m not alone. Thanks Nate for stopping by!
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You are right – life is but phases. The idea of a late night doesn’t agree with me either. During younger days I could stay up simply chatting till the wee hours and then during my journalism days I’d get home by 2.30/3. Now I cannot imagine how it was even possible. I count my 7 hours of sleep like Shylock counted his gold.
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I don’t count my hours but I still want to hit the bed sleeping 😉 The sound welcoming houses we have in India, well – I can hear when couple next door shouts at each other.
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Mentally I am still in my 20s I guess, I like all that jazz about birthdays. Though now I have to maintain a silence so that my boy sleeps!
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I like the Jazz about birthdays but it should start in the morning. 😉
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Parul, it is really acceptance that helps us move on in life. But, when I look back at my past and then compare it with my present, I am definitely glad I lived and enjoyed those moments, but more than that, I am glad that I am here, in this now, which often seems better than the past. Each stage in ;life has its joys that feel good only in that age.
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I agree to that. No complains at all 😦
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Birthdays are always fascinating !!! Yes, you rightly said, acceptance is life.
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It is!
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I am so glad that you compared them with your younger self instead of cursing them. Mostly people do that forgetting what they had done years ago. And yes, this phase of life looks only for the number of hours we can sleep. With the Metro construction happening right next to our apartments, sleep is always disturbed since past two years.
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That’s such a refreshing thing to say. I am used to people blaming others for the problems that they face. Seeing it the way you do, makes for a peaceful night’s sleep — whatever little you got out of it, and makes waking up more peacfulrather than cranky. Love the way you think!
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So true! Acceptance can be hard but I guess each phase has its share of fun!
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Ohh the late night worries and counting the hours left! This has become a daily routine for me, and it sure doesn’t help when I feel sleepy in the first two hours class everyday . And yet I am late to sleep the following night.
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To everything there is a season…
Your post makes me laugh because I’m in my late 50’s and I recently started taking line dancing lessons. At these lessons most of the participants are in their late 60’s and 70’s which makes me feel like a youngster and is one of the main reasons I love to go. At every age we need to embrace life and not look back with longing to our youth, we will always be young to someone one and old to someone else.
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So true. We have to embrace the season we’re in and recognize when it’s time to move on to a new one.
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So true! Completely relate to this:)
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I liked the way you reflected on the phases of life that we go through. It’s so interesting so see how we grow, change and adjust to the new phases of our lives, with the passage of time.
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I think I have always been an old soul, no partying no loud music 😀 but yeah I do remain awake long hours when I see my cousins and friends and only disturbing people sleeping at our home 😉 But I can understand since there is a phase of life where many young people do it and they can only realize after they move to next phase.
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Ah yes – those phases of life! 20s were all about late night parties and loud noise. Sometimes I need to remind myself of that too, when the neighbors are having their parties and I’m trying to catch my 40 winks!
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There is no other way except acceptance .Though I dont dislike organizing parties but these parties are for whom ? for self pleasure or other’s discomfort ?
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I used to be such a good sleeper and now that I’m older I have a hard time, even without noise everywhere. Sigh.
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I agree to that. No complains at all 😦
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Gosh! That must be hard. Hope that’s done soon.
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I guess that’s what life is about, ain’t it? At each phase of life we meet new people and have new experiences. While initially, we may have a few issues in adjusting to the new phase, with time we surely get used to it and move on.
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There is nothing wrong in anything, it’s just that we have to adjust to changing times in our lives. Even our physical aspects plays a role as you’ve mentioned.
Belated happy birthday though 😊
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I am a very light sleeper … sometimes even heavy breathing is enough to wake me up 😛 I envy the young who can celebrate till late at night and still make it to work fresh as daisy. It’s the 30s I tell you … that makes you hate all things noisy and late. I don’t even wake up till midnight on my birthday 😉 Hope you get to catch up on your sleep.
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Now I can’t agree more on this 😀 From the time I started living in hostels till my last bday we were celebrating it on midnights 😛 but then this year we changed it and decided to celebrate it next day with dinner and cake and just wish each other on bday mornings 🙂 I think its good that way 🙂 All my life as a kid under my parents roof I have done that 😛 then why bother now 🙂 Well said 🙂 Each day is passing phase and it feels good to look back at times 🙂
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