Starting the Day

I was lying in bed around 5.45am and was having dreadful thoughts about my day today. I stopped and thought for a moment. I scanned my day to figure out what was causing it and I realized what it was. Absolutely nothing. I had not one thing to feel negative or dreadful about for the day ahead. Before my feet even met the floor my head was creating a dreadful day. In fact, I realized I had every reason to have a very good day. No challenges would be permanent. Situations would only be negative if chose to spin them that way. I understood right then and there how if we’re not conscious of it and present in it each moment is defined by some past regret or we’ve projected out into the undefined future. That unconscious need for constant negative bias is fascinating.

Sunrise Serenity

Sitting with my coffee in the early morning quiet. I can’t fully express just much I love this. It is the most centered and peaceful moment of the day. Watching out the window as the sun comes up I think it’s the time when the day still belongs to nature; we haven’t cluttered it up yet with our noise and nonsense. I actually feel like nature is allowing me to be a part of their morning. As my friend Dan says, "I love the early morning period before anyone else gets up. The day changes when they do." Indeed so. By 9am the secret of the early hours is over. For now though, I will simply cherish the moment and be humbled by my part in it. 

The Eternal Morning

Rising before dawn is one of my most intimate joys. Sometimes those mornings seem eternal. The sunrise is a little slower. The coffee goes down just a tad more deliciously. The dog’s snoring a little more comforting. Every sound my 104-year old apartment makes is some sort of joyful, secret whisper. The world seems a little quieter outside. It’s mornings like that I feel hyper present, in tune with and touching every slight nuance of everything.

This entry's image was AI-generated.  

The Saturday Ritual

I began today the same way I do each Saturday. I wake up at 5am and wander into the kitchen to make the coffee and wait until about half a cup is brewed. It's the thickest, oiliest, most potent portion of the pot (and the tastiest!) I pour it into my cup on top of a splash of creamer. Yes, I love my coffee so strong it could walk on its own! I head for the living room and open the blinds to the east-facing window. I sit down in my favorite armchair in the dark and absolute silence to await the growing sunrise. It's my favorite time of day; I'm alone with my thoughts, my coffee, and the rising sun. For an hour or two the world is still slumbering and it's quiet and serene. In those few hours my mind is clear and I am thoughtful in ways that remind me I am a living, breathing part of a living, breathing planet. That harmonious "oneness" is palpable and profound in its simplicity. The sunrise gradually kisses the room with a warm, orange "Hello!" and I begin the journey into my day unencumbered, mindful, and enlightened. 

Sunrise

It's 6.13am as I'm writing this and it's already been an incredible day. I woke at 4am this morning, made my first cup of coffee and sat in the quiet watching the sun come up and begin lighting the buildings across the street. Early morning has always been my favorite time of the day. It's quiet and peaceful, and I feel more present than any other moment of the day. Watching the sun come up in the serenity of early morning is a secret anyone can be in on.

Early Morning

The hours between roughly 4 am and 9 am are my favorite. It is the most serene and tranquil part of the day. I get up and putz around my kitchen in the quiet darkness. I either turn on the coffeemaker or put water on to boil for the French Press. When the coffee is ready I sit quietly. It's just me alone with an uncluttered mind. The day's cacophony of junk hasn't invaded my space just yet. Sometimes I sit and just reflect, sometimes I watch where my mind wanders and enjoy the path, sometimes I read, or sometimes I write. In the wintertime I love to see the sun coming up and casting a bluish glow off o the snow and on to everything. Regardless of the season moving from darkness to the warm glow of sunrise is an intimacy that few take the time to appreciate. It's a very personal time that is a joy and a treasure.

Morning

I really, really, really dig the early morning hours, 4.30ish to about 9.30 or 10. Everything is so clear and uncluttered. This morning putzing around the house, feeling the sun coming up and filling the place with light, the morning sounds of life coming to life outside I didn't want to leave the house and taint the mood with outside negativity, hatred, hustle and bustle, and panic of everyday smallness.