On Being A Night Owl

I'm a natural night owl. It's as simple as my mind being clearer in the dark and quiet.
During the day I'm constantly bombarded with thoughts and tasks, people and conversations, and the never ending buzz that is our world today.
At night, it all stops, and I can just be.
I read something the other day that talked about how people who stay up later are smarter than the rest of the world. On certain levels I agree with this. Being a night person, or being a wake when the rest of the world is quiet, tends to show an affinity for bending the rules, and thinking outside the norm. A vast majority of those who we see as genius lived in these limbo areas. They thought differently and created when the world was at rest. Some of the most creative people I know sleep in the day and work in the quiet shadow of night.
While I was in college I loved staying up late and reading, or writing. Some of my best work was started and finished in the hours between dusk and dawn.
I had a good friend, another creative sort, who would sit and talk with me outside, under the stars. My favorite memories from this time of my life, took place at night. We would sit on a curb, or a stone wall and conversations would ebb and flow naturally, and without interruption. We laughed and cried and shared secrets not known to the daylight. We talked about ourselves honestly, and felt safe in the dark.
I've struggled with not being a "morning person" for a majority of my life. I'm beginning to come to terms with this, however. I've learned that morning isn't when I thrive. I can exist, but I am most present during the opposite end of the day.
After the sun falls and the outside world is fast asleep, my mind is alive and bright with possibility. Characters run with their stories, leaving pieces of them in my minds eye. Melodies hum in the background and pictures come to life. Night is when I create.
When the structure and chaos of day gives way to the open ended possibility of night, that is when I am most awake.