We all know the names Orville and Wilbur Wright, Thomas Edison, and Milton Hershey. Each talented inventor played a monumental role in establishing necessities of life as we know it. But could any of us name the man who invented the beautiful bell that wakes us up every morning?

Just this week my husband neglected this incredible gift. When he woke up at the lazy hour of 6 AM instead of the requisite 4 AM for surgical rounds, chaos ensued. Panic stricken, he ransacked the house looking for scrubs, pager, toothbrush, nail clippers, everything that typically gets up and relocates itself while we sleep. Needless to say, the shame and reprimand ruined him that day. Jobs were threatened. Lives were lost. Something like that.

But on a beautiful day like today, I feel the need to pay tribute to the man who allows for the smooth awakening of our entire household before the crack of dawn. This is especially effective when the snooze button is employed repeatedly. My two year old is very thankful for the creator of his father’s alarm clock, since he singlehandedly ensured maximized playtime during prime morning hours when mom has the most energy.

But who owns an actual alarm clock anymore? We must not forget to thank smart phone expert programmers who made it possible for our radio-frequency energy emitting cell phones to rest right by our heads at night and awaken us cheerfully in the morning. How did we exist before alarm tones such as Radar and Summit? Soft chirping birds are a thing of the past, and we can all be thankful for that.

I tip my hat to you, alarm clock man, whatever your name is. I’ll look it up later, after my nap.