I mentioned recently that I love my mornings.
There is such a calming joy of having nothing to do when that alarm goes off, except get up and pour a cup of precious coffee. Sit down on the porch. Wake up. Be still. Pray. Read.
Birds come alive and the sun begins to peek through the marine layer. In the stillness of this time, I become rooted in who I am and what I was made for… truths that, with the everydayness of life, I inevitably forget.
Some mornings, other things may creep their way in: a hot yoga class (the only thing that relieves my computer hunchback syndrome). Or extra sleep, or work. But there is always resistance, a hesitation in my heart, because the morning quiet has become more and more precious to me.
This stillness has not come easy. Years of busyness and connectedness (thanks to my iPhone) have taken their toll, and have rewired my brain for constant activity. There is an unspoken dismissal of stillness around us, everyday. And even though I’ve been enjoying my morning ritual for over a year now, there are still days that my mind runs a mile a minute with the to-dos and musts of the day, unable to let my heart settle down and focus.
But the longer I’ve taken the time to find this stillness every day, the more natural the stillness becomes. And I’ve come to find I cannot do without it.
I believe in finding stillness and quiet mornings. Or afternoons. Or evenings, if that’s your style. Do you have daily rituals or a special time of day that restore you?