Ease Into The Morning

I have a morning ritual. It begins with my cell phone alarm going off at 5:00 a.m., then 5:10 a.m. and finally 5:25 a.m. My dogs rustle a bit, stretching and yawning. Now that the time has changed, the morning light comes up over the hillside earlier, gently creeping into my window. I roll over and shut my eyes and basque in the morning light and warmth and I begin to ease into the morning.

I get up around 6:15 a.m. and release my dogs out the back door to do their business and make my chocolate truffle coffee. The smell permeates my house and the atmosphere is transformed into what I imagine would be Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

I go back to bed and rest some more. Now my eyes are opened and I think and listen to the radio. I don't get up early and jog or lift weights. I don't rush around doing chores. I do very little. This is my time to renew.  Because, for me, once the day starts I won't have this kind of time. I have spent years squeezing so much work and activity into my day I suppose I now feel somewhat justified in just living in the moment and merely enjoying being, in my house, with my dogs, no matter how dilapidated and worn.

This year it was very difficult for me to finish my terms on boards and committees, not raise my hand to volunteer to do more, not feel guilty about not juggling 101 projects and actually having time to think. I had to reinvent a normal workday for myself. I wanted to focus on me and working on my house. All these years my work and volunteer efforts have been the highest priority (in an excessive way). I regret none of it. It has been a great learning experience. But now it is time to focus on other things....like living.