I m up at 5 in the morning and in bed by 10 in the evening.

Hear the humble words of DeForest Kelley, remembered by many as Dr. McCoy of Star Trek, who once said: “I’m up at 5 in the morning and in bed by 10 in the evening.” At first glance, these words seem ordinary, the plain description of a daily routine. Yet within them lies the wisdom of rhythm, the strength of discipline, and the peace of a life lived in harmony with the rising and setting of the sun. For in these simple hours is hidden the great secret of endurance and serenity.

To rise at 5 in the morning is to greet the day before the world awakens. It is to walk in the quiet hours when the air is still, when dawn paints the sky with its first colors, when the noise of human striving has not yet begun. In these early hours the mind is clear, the spirit undistracted, the body fresh. Great thinkers, leaders, and creators have long known the power of morning. By beginning the day with purpose, they lay foundations upon which the rest of the hours can stand.

To rest by 10 in the evening is to honor the body’s need for renewal. It is to accept that even the strongest spirit requires stillness, that the lamp of life must be trimmed if it is to continue burning brightly. The ancients spoke of moderation as the key to virtue, and this rhythm of waking early and resting at a wise hour embodies that moderation. It is the refusal of excess, the balance of toil and rest, the art of knowing when to strive and when to surrender to sleep.

Consider, O listener, the story of Benjamin Franklin, who famously declared, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Franklin was no stranger to the burdens of public duty and the demands of invention, yet he recognized that order in the small things grants strength for the great things. His life, like Kelley’s words, shows us that greatness is not built in chaos but in steady, disciplined patterns of living.

History too gives us examples of warriors and leaders who mastered their hours. The Roman legions marched at dawn, trained with precision, and rested in camp at disciplined times. Their power did not come only from weapons, but from the order of their lives. So too, DeForest Kelley, though speaking not as a general but as a man of art and character, reveals that his strength came not only from talent, but from a life shaped by balance and steadiness.

The lesson here is clear: your hours are your life. To waste them in disorder is to scatter your strength like seed upon stony ground. To guard them with discipline is to plant them like grain in fertile soil, where they will yield a harvest of peace, health, and endurance. Rising early does not merely give you more time; it grants you mastery over your day. Resting at a wise hour does not merely prolong sleep; it ensures that your body and mind are ready for the battles of tomorrow.

Therefore, O traveler of life, let Kelley’s wisdom guide you. Shape your hours with care. Rise when the world is quiet, and fill the early day with labor, reflection, or creation. Rest when night has fallen, and let your body renew its strength. Do not despise the simplicity of this rhythm, for within it lies the foundation of long life, steady work, and quiet joy.

So remember: greatness is not only in grand deeds, but in the humble order of daily life. To be up at 5 in the morning and in bed by 10 in the evening is more than a schedule—it is a philosophy of harmony, a way of aligning yourself with the turning of the earth. Live thus, and your days will not only be full, but fruitful.