What Is Morning, Really?

 

What Is Morning, Really?

Afrikaans: “Die môrestond het goud in die mond.”
English: “The early bird catches the worm.”

True or false?

We use the word “morning” almost every day without really questioning what it means.

We say, “Good morning.”

We say, “I woke up this morning.”

We talk about morning meetings, morning shifts and morning routines.

But when you really stop and think about it...

 

What exactly is morning?

 

Before the clock, there was light

Interestingly, the question of morning goes much further back than clocks and calendars.

In Genesis 1, the Bible describes the beginning of creation:

Genesis 1:1–5

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness he called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”

There is something fascinating about this description.Before we had watches, phones, calendars or time zones, there was light and darkness.Day and night.

 

Evening and morning.

And the very first day is described through this movement from evening to morning.

It makes me wonder whether our modern obsession with defining morning by the clock has caused us to overlook something much simpler.

Perhaps morning, at its most fundamental level, is about the beginning of light after darkness.But even that raises another question.

 

What do we actually mean when we say “morning”?

 

Is morning a time?

If we look at it strictly from a timekeeping perspective, we could say that morning runs from 12:00 AM to 11:59 AM.

But that definition doesn't quite feel right.

At 1:00 AM, most people would still say it is the middle of the night.

So perhaps the clock cannot completely define morning.

 

Is morning determined by the sun?

From a natural perspective, morning can be understood as the period beginning around sunrise and continuing until noon.

That makes more sense.

Morning is the transition from darkness to daylight. It is when the world begins to wake up.

But even this definition changes depending on where you live and the season.

Sunrise happens at different times throughout the year. It also happens at different times in different parts of the world.

So morning isn't exactly the same everywhere.

 

Is morning simply a social agreement?

In everyday life, we generally think of morning as roughly 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

It is the time when people wake up, have breakfast, get ready for work or school, commute, answer emails and begin their daily responsibilities.

We even divide it into:

Early morning: approximately 5:00 AM – 8:00 AM.

Late morning: approximately 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

But these are human conventions.

There is nothing magical about 6:00 AM.

There isn't a switch inside nature that suddenly changes from “night” to “morning” at a particular minute.

Then there is the cultural meaning of morning

This is where the Afrikaans saying becomes interesting:

“Die môrestond het goud in die mond.”

And its English equivalent:

“The early bird catches the worm.”

The message seems to be that those who start early have an advantage.

Historically, there was a practical reason for this.

Before electricity, artificial lighting and modern technology, daylight was an extremely valuable resource.

Farmers, hunters, traders and workers often had good reason to start early.

The morning represented opportunity.

 

If you were awake while others were still sleeping, you could already be working, hunting, gathering, selling or engaging with people who could help you achieve your goals.

So perhaps the saying was never really about the clock.

Perhaps it was about being ready for opportunity.

 

But what happens if we remove sight from the equation?

Think about a person who is blind.

When is morning to them?

The sun still rises.

The earth still rotates.

The clock still moves.

But the experience of morning isn't necessarily connected to seeing the sunrise.

They may know the time through a talking clock, a phone, a watch or another device.

But their personal experience of morning can be very different from that of someone who wakes up and sees sunlight entering the room.

That makes me wonder:

 

Is morning something we experience, or something we measure?

And what about time zones?

Imagine I work remotely with someone in another country.

For me, it may be 9:00 AM.

For them, it may be 7:00 PM.

I say:

“Good morning.”

They say:

“Good evening.”

And neither of us is wrong.

We are simply experiencing the same moment according to different clocks.

So perhaps morning is partly a relationship between time, place, nature and human convention.

 

What is morning to me?

This is where my own definition becomes different.

When I think of morning, I don't necessarily think about 6:00 AM.

I don't necessarily think about sunrise.

I think about the moment I open my eyes.

The moment I wake up.

The moment I become conscious of the world around me.

The moment I decide:

“My day has started.”

That, to me, is morning.

I am someone who naturally wakes up later and can work until late.

So the traditional idea that you must wake up very early in order to be productive doesn't completely fit my understanding of life.

If I wake up at 5:00 AM, that's my morning.

If I wake up at 9:00 AM, that's my morning too.

If someone works night shifts and wakes up at 3:00 PM, perhaps that is their morning.

Why should their morning be less legitimate than mine?

 

Does waking up early really create success?

Maybe this is where we sometimes misunderstand the wisdom behind:

“Die môrestond het goud in die mond.”

Perhaps it doesn't mean:

“Wake up early and you will become successful.”

Perhaps it means:

“Be ready when opportunity arrives.”

There is a big difference.

A person can wake up at 4:30 AM every day and achieve very little.

Another person can wake up at 9:00 AM, work intensely, make good decisions, meet the right people, solve problems and build something meaningful.

The important thing may not be what time you wake up.

It may be what you do with the time you have.

The worm doesn't necessarily care what time you woke up.

What matters is whether you were there when the opportunity presented itself.

 

Perhaps morning is a beginning, not a time

And this is where my thinking eventually takes me.

Maybe morning isn't really a specific time of day.

Maybe morning is simply the beginning of something.

The beginning of a day.

The beginning of work.

The beginning of an idea.

The beginning of a journey.

The beginning of a new opportunity.

And this brings me back to Genesis.

 

“Let there be light.”

Light was separated from darkness.

Day was separated from night.

And then came the words:

“And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”

There is something profound about that sequence.

Evening. Then morning.

Darkness. Then light.

An ending. Then a beginning.

And perhaps that gives us another way of thinking about our own lives.

 

When does your morning truly begin?

Perhaps your true morning begins the moment you are born.

Think about it.

The moment a baby enters this world and experiences light for the first time, something begins.

For that person, that is their first morning.

It doesn't matter whether the clock says 2:00 AM, 7:00 AM or 3:00 PM.

It doesn't matter whether the sun is rising or setting.

Their morning has begun.

It is the beginning of their journey.

That first moment becomes their own personal sunrise.

And perhaps, in a strange way, that morning never really changes.

The clock continues moving.

The sun rises and sets.

Years pass.

We grow older.

Our sleeping patterns change.

We move between countries and time zones.

We become early risers or night owls.

But the beginning of our personal journey remains fixed.

It began when we entered the world.

And if morning represents the beginning, then perhaps evening represents the end.

Not 6:00 PM.

Not sunset.

Not midnight.

But the moment our journey comes to an end.

Death.

 

Perhaps every human being has one very long morning.

It begins with the first light we experience at birth and continues throughout our lives.

Some people have a short morning.

Some have a long one.

Some spend much of it sleeping.

Some spend it working.

Some spend it searching.

Some spend it building.

Some discover their purpose early.

Others discover it much later.

And perhaps that is why comparing one person's “morning” with another person's morning doesn't make much sense.

One person may appear to have started early.

Another may appear to have started late.

But they are not living the same day.

They are living different lives.

 

So, true or false?

“The early bird catches the worm.”

Maybe.

But perhaps the deeper lesson isn't that you have to wake up early.

Perhaps it is simply:

Be ready when opportunity arrives.

Your morning is your morning.

Your journey is your journey.

Your productive hours are your own.

And perhaps the most important question isn't:

“What time did you wake up?”

It is:

“What did you do with the morning you were given?”

Because one day, whether we realise it or not, every morning eventually becomes evening.

And when that evening comes, perhaps the question won't be whether we woke up at 5:00 AM.

Perhaps the question will simply be:

“Did we make something meaningful out of the morning we were given?”

Maybe that is what morning truly is.

**Not merely a time on the clock.

But the beginning of our journey from darkness into light.**

🌄 Morning: A Philosophical Reflection

 

🌄 Morning: A Philosophical Reflection

The Golden Hour of Wisdom

Across cultures, morning has long been celebrated as a time of promise. In Afrikaans, “Die oggendstond het goud in die mond” suggests that dawn carries treasure.

In English, “The early bird catches the worm” insists that opportunity belongs to those who rise early. These sayings elevate morning as a metaphor for discipline, foresight, and success.

Yet, they also reveal how societies project values onto time itself. Morning becomes not just a segment of the day, but a symbol of human aspiration.

 

Morning as Measured Time : From a timekeeping perspective, morning is a technical construct: 12:00 AM to 11:59 AM. It is precise, useful for schedules, but ultimately arbitrary. Clocks divide the day into equal slices, but they cannot capture the lived essence of morning.

Morning as Nature’s Rhythm : In the natural order, morning begins when the sun rises and ends at noon. This definition ties human life to the cosmos, reminding us that we are creatures of light. The length of morning shifts with the seasons, teaching us that time is fluid, not fixed.

Morning as Social Ritual : In daily life, morning is the period of waking, eating, and beginning work. It is a social construct, shared across communities, schools, and workplaces. Here, morning is less about the sun and more about collective rhythm — the synchronization of human activity.

Morning Beyond Sight and Borders : For a blind person, morning cannot be defined by light. It is instead experienced through sound, routine, or inner rhythm. In global work, morning is relative: one person’s dawn is another’s dusk. Morning becomes a negotiation, a reminder that time is both universal and personal.

 

The First Morning: Birth and Creation

Perhaps the truest morning is not tied to clocks, suns, or social rituals. It is the moment of birth — when one first encounters light. That instant becomes the permanent morning of existence, the beginning of life’s day.

From then on, every sunrise is but a reminder of that primal awakening. Morning lasts until evening arrives — the metaphor for death, when the light fades and the day closes.

This idea resonates with the ancient words of Genesis 1: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light… And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”

Morning, then, is not only a human construct but a divine declaration — the very first rhythm of creation, the separation of light from darkness, the beginning of time itself.

 

Conclusion

Morning is more than a time of day. It is a metaphor for beginnings, a cultural symbol of discipline, a natural rhythm of light, and ultimately, the essence of life itself.

To speak of morning is to speak of renewal, of the fragile yet profound moment when existence itself begins. From the dawn of creation to the dawn of each life, morning is the eternal reminder that every beginning carries light.

My Apple

My Apple

I had an apple once,
It was a red, juicy apple
I put it in my lunch box
To Enjoy this delicacy for my lunch
I kept thinking of my Red juicy apple
Packed neatly in  my lunch box
Every minute I would reach in the bag
To ensure the apple was still in there
I took it out on my lunch break
to have my long awaited deserved, snack

Looking at it, triggered my imagination
I started to imagine , and fantasize about.....
Sinking my teeth in its soft juicy belly
Juices spilling in my mouth like water flowing through a fountain
Slowly sliding on my tongue,
like waves on the beach, hitting against the rocks

Juices trickling on each side of my tongue,
Filling every pore, and grove in my mouth triggering ,and awakening all my taste buds,
So they could take part in rejoicing in the sweet rich juices
Every bite, every chewing, more, and more, and more juices To filled my mouth
And started showers for my tongue, teeth, and gums
before the juices slowly made its way down my throat
To fill the void in my stomach,
Then taken up in my blood streams,
And become the gas that fuel my lively hood,

I took a cloth, and wiped my apple gently
to exspose it's skin...Red, shiny,and more irresistible
Slowly I move it to my mouth,,,,
my tongue made contact with it,
I got this tantalizing feeling, all over my body
It was cold, soft, smooth, and round,,,,,
The urge.... to bite,,,grew,and gre , and grew..with every second
My teeth made contact with the delicate skin,,,
I closed my eyes, to savoir the moment,,,and embed it in my long term memories

The moment came...to take the dive, and have my first bit.
My teeth slowly moved further apart......
Couldn’t take the bite, Couldnt wound such a beautifull
I loved my apple so much, Its was the perfect apple.
And I wanted to keep it, "forever"
A wise man once said.You can't eat your cake (Apple) and have it,

To the one who got away

It has been over 10 years since you departed

I constantly find myself Googling your name,

or searching for it on Facebook, and twitter

hoping to find some marks or traces  of your existence

How silly of me, Technology was not part of our times

Sometimes I dream of the hilarious things we’ve done growing up,

All the mischief, and crazy things we’ve done together

Not forgetting the punishments we took when we got caught

Memories of my youth, are intertwined with memories of you
I see your face , on the many a stranger

You were more of a brother than a friend to me.

Taking one for the team was your character trait

Even with all our fights, you were always the better man

With you around, I had courage, and strength

I remember you. My friend. My Brother. My Protector

You only really die once all traces of your existence has been wiped away

I guess you still alive, and I will keep your memories for a lifetime

Cyprian Muntuza Luvuno

Hope you found peace, in the afterlife.

You were gone too soon

They say the good die young, and young you went

Growing up with you, was an honour to me

You most definitely had my back.

And you had the scares to show it

Till we meet again, my brother

Being a man

Being a man,

If you are a man, your destiny is to ensure the continuation of your bloodline

Everything else is a byproduct of your effort trying to achieve those goals.

It comes as no surprise as the rule of the jungle still applies to human being.

Only the strongest beast will get the chance to mate. Hence ensuring his bloodline’s survival

With humans, where brute force and power is not always the ultimate measuring stick, money is used as the substitute.

It’s not just one variation of bloodline we crave for. There needs to be variations, with different  mixed with different genes from different tribes. That’s why one is not allowed to wed in the same family. That’s the reason we are programmed never to be satisfied with the one woman we have .Our genes calls out to be mixed with as many different variations of other genes as possible.

In the end, I guess we heading the call in the bible. We have one mission, and one mission only. Go out and multiply.

Fall Of A Hero, And a Country

We are back in 1976. The “Apartheid” government is in power. Any demonstration against government is strictly forbidden. If you dare defy that order, its punishable, even by death. Shoot to kill is the message. Welcome to the New South Africa. The Rainbow Nation build on so much tears, and bloodshed. The more we anticipated changes, the more things stayed the same.

What a naive thought from our side hoping that with the election in 1994 everything would just change to normal, everyone would have a normal life. A life with dignity,  with a right to basic services. We forgot that people didn’t get in the struggle to stay poor. They had their own agendas for being in the struggle. Now they ripping the benefits.

We are 17 years in the New South Africa, People are still living in the same if not worse conditions bestowed upon them by the Apartheid government. The people who went out of their way to convince all and sundry that they, and only they alone are responsible for delivering the elusive freedom from the clutches of APARTHEID  went further to convince the masses that only they were qualified to lead the people into the newly found freedom, have failed  the masses miserable. Since they came into power, the most important thing on their minds has been to gather together wealth at any cost for the benefits of themselves, and family members. The spirit of entrepreneurship has been replaced with tenderpreneurship. We have overnight Billionaires, conveniently blood relatives of people in the highest office in the land. In short, if you want to make it in this country, you need to know somebody who knows somebody, or you need to be that somebody that has the key to the states treasury.

Most of the so called Black Diamonds  got their newly found wealth through connections to the ruling party. Funds designated for the improvement of the poorest o the poor are embezzled before it reaches its destination, to the detriment of the poor. Many fallen heroes of the liberation struggles are turning in their graves due to the current state of affairs today. Their dreams have been high jacked by the elite few. The better tomorrow they envisioned remains just that. A dream deferred. Poverty and crime is still the order of the day. Children of the elites goes to Elite schools, and those of the poor get second class education. Fit for Second class citizens.

The sad thing is those who see through this façade, happens to be in the minority. There is nothing they can do to change the situation because their Votes will not make any significant difference on the outcome of any election. The lack of any viable opposition is also not helping their cause. It’s like being caught in between the Devil and the Deep blue sea, most opt to cling to the devil they know.

Is this the democracy we envisioned? How many struggles must we have before we get our share of liberty. A democracy were the all people can share in the same resources, and wealth of this country?

Is it too much to ask for if you demand a basic services like clean drinking water to drink. What if you really can’t afford the bottled drink water? Is demonstrating against the lack of service delivery really a reason for someone to lose his life. Was the law by the General to Shoot to Kill for the police actually directed at silencing the masses, by treating, and even killing them if they dare make their displeasures know? Is this the government we voted for? Is this the government we going to vote for? Is this the people we want to govern our lives.

 Do we have to keep our mouths shut, and watch while the political connected live their lives likes queens and kings. This people are removed from the realities of the common man on the street, The forgot what it is like to go to bed without food, They have forgotten how it’s like to spend a cold winter night without a roof over their heads, or without a blanket to offer some warmth through the cold night. How can we entrust out lives to people who have forgotten about us, and move to the suburb to live the African dream at the expensive of the poor?

I for one did not envision this future as it is today. I’m almost certain that I am not the only one who believes things could been better, with better leaders at the helm who sincerely from the people, for the people.

I tried hard not to mention names but one name worth mentioning is Andries Tatane

We can only hope that your life was not lost in vain. We can only hope that more people will awaken to reality, and see the monster that we have created by keeping quit, and pretended everything is OK. Let’s hope the people will come to realize that Absolute power corrupt absolutely. A one party state can only lead to disaster,

Zimbabwe didn’t get where it is by accident. Loyalty to a movement, certain individuals  against logic, wisdom and the well being  of the poor masses got Zimbabwe where it is today. It will take decades to rebuild that country. Why are we not learning?

Andries Tatane:

You will be remembered as a proud man. A man who gave back to the community he lived in through your chosen career as a Math’s teacher. A Man with a vision. And a dream of equity, and respect to human life.

A man who dared the powers that be to deliver what was due to the poor .

A Man who didn’t go into hiding when his believes was challenged. A Man who chose to live with the poor, and fight alongside them for a better living condition. A man who chose to fight injustice, irrespective of the colour of the government of the day. You knew that by standing on the sideline you would be betraying everything that you, and all other fallen heroes of the struggles stood for.

You , and those other fallen heroes are the true champions of the poorest  of the poor.

You were, and still are, a true a Son of the Soil.

Your name will go down into History as the one who defied the powers that wanted to silence a country of proud people.

The world does not have many like. May you find peace.

Your all was the fall of a Hero, and A People

Headlines on News 24: 03.12.2010:

Headlines on News 24: 03.12.2010:
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Farm-murderers-leave-chilling-note-20101203

Farm murderers leave chilling note:

"We have killed them. We are coming back".
From the above I can only assume the Victim was a Farm owner. He has been robbed, and killed by blacks
I hope and pray the perpetrators get arrested, and get life sentences.
I would even vote for the death penalty to be reinstated, just for this case. My Deepest condolences
I hope the Surviving members of that family get the strengths to survive this ordeal.
This is going to give Annelie Botes more reason to hate blacks, and maybe make her decide to leave this country earlier than she planned.

First I would like to say well done to the media by ensuring this incident does not go unnoticed by the world.
They have done a stunning job by ensuring this story makes headlines, "Another Farm killing in SA"
Some would argue and say: "If this incident happened in the Township of Likazi, or Ngodini and the victims were blacks,
Would it have made it into the headlines?

Bad things happen to all of us. When you see this thugs start attacking the whites that means they are now expanding their terror campaigns into the white neighborhoods.
Its sixteen years since the first election, why is there still a place called a white neighborhood. Why the term famer is still associated white a white Afrikaner male?

Bad things happened to the White People, and bad things happen to black people.

Due to the fact that over 75% of the people living in SA happens are black. 75% of crimes will be committed by blacks
And the fact that this black has been previously marginalized, and never managed to create wealth for themselves or future generations,
Criminal elements will come within these groups. I stay in an area classified as a danger Zone by the insurance companies,
And I have to pay exuberant amounts just to insure my car. That should tell you everyone know that the worst type of crimes happens in the black neighborhood,

But it seldom gets the publicity it deserves because nobody cares about a black live.
The loss of another black life is not news worthy to the people who have the cash to buy the papers or those who can afford to read it online.

Crimes affect us all, and many are not eager to do anything about it.
Building more jails, or getting all people to start patrolling the streets at nights (Depriving themselves of much needed rest for the next day ahead at work) is not the solution to our common problem

The solution lies in integrating all people of South Africa. It lies in the group efforts of all.
The current inequalities pose as a breeding ground for this extremist to identify their targets,
If we had a society where black and white could live together in one suburb, or township, it would be impossible for
These radicals to target anyone we need to do away with the racial segregated residential areas and everything else that we inherited form our past
In other words, if we need to move forward, we need to embrace one another, brothers in arms, and face our social ills

The question what everyone needs to ask them is the following:

Is this the kind of country I’m going live in, if yes, what am I going to do about it?
Am I a contributor on the brutally that happening in this country by condoning the wrongs that happening in and around you?
Am I a silent partner on the evils that befalls other people of this country by not razing my voice in the face of unfairness out of fear of being victimized yourself?
Do my actions contribute towards nation building and reconciliation or am I just stoking the fires that will implode this country in a civil war?
Am I going to be one of those working toward improving this country, even if it means I have to lose some of my belongings to help feed someone who has none?
Am I going to one of those who chose to close shop and run for shelter in other countries where everything seems better than out own country?
Do I do well to my fellow men, black or white?
Do I treat everyone in my surrounding with dignity and fairness?
In the workplace, do I ensure there is fairness in promotions, disciplinary hearings and dismissals?
Is the outcome of cases decided on its merits or do we chose sides based on skin colour?