During the early days of my career in radio, my general manager called me into the office one day.
“How are you adjusting to waking up at 4 in the morning?” he asked.
“I don’t think I’m quite used to it yet,” I replied.
He smiled.
“You never will be.”
More than eight years later, those words still ring true. Back then, I was a single guy getting up at 4. Today, I’m married with children getting up at 3.
It seems that no matter how early you go to bed, when you get up at that early hour of the day, your body never quite seems to catch up. I’m fine during my shift, due mostly, I suppose, from hard work and coffee. But once I get home, the exhaustion always seems to catch up with me.
When I find myself getting tired, however, I always remind myself of several facts. I was once a young man who had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Since finding my way into radio, I’ve had a chance to interview a former president. I’ve been involved in a heart pumping tornado chase that put me within inches of the storm. I’ve shared hugs and tears with victims of tragedy. I’ve covered everything from politics to police work and developed friendships along the way that will last a lifetime. And the list goes on.
The bottom line is this.
I love what I do much more than I love a few extra hours of sleep. And besides, how could anyone sleep when a smiling, giggling one-year-old boy has been waiting all morning to see his daddy?