Sacred Mornings

What was your routine like this year? Was there a specific part about it that you enjoyed?

It's as though 2014 was broken up into two halves: the first six and a half months were about finishing and savoring every last moment of college, while the other part involved acclimating to life in the "real world." I've swapped out classes for job hunting and interviews, homework for applications and test projects, and my sleep patterns are a bit out of whack. I get teased for typically going to bed before midnight (even on weekends, though there's the exception of the occasional night out). With that being said, my schedule is still a bit unpredictable right now. Some days I go on interviews, some days I'll spend hours in front of the computer pouring my soul into a word document. I try to work out at least three times a week and read before falling asleep. Typically there will be a to-do list of phone calls and sending out emails, and most of the time it doesn't all get done in one day. 

Regardless of where I'm at or what I'm doing, the one thing that has to be consistent for me is the morning. 

I like waking up somewhere between five and six o'clock before brewing coffee and then making my way to the living room. Granted, I don't set my alarm on Saturdays and allow myself to sleep in if I'm feeling exhausted, but naturally my body is up and moving before nine. I read a chapter in my Bible or a devotional before taking a little bit of time to pray. Typically this is done in my journal or out loud, depending on what kind of mood I'm in. After about an hour or two I take a couple of minutes to say "good morning" to various friends and family members. It might be somewhat cheesy, but it's my way of letting people know that I'm thinking about them when we don't have a ton of time to talk. And yes, being able to do so is one of the few reasons I'm grateful for texting. 

It all comes down to feeling productive and feeling alive, with an added bonus of a beautiful sunrise most of the time. There's nothing like the success of getting stuff done by the time lunch rolls around, and the later I wake up the harder it is to do that. 

The reasons beyond those are hard to explain, other then being part of who I am. Mornings make me happy. They fill me with peace and a sense of encouragement that makes me able to conquer and accomplish. Of course I know that it's not set in stone and that things will change as time passes. Reading might have to slide over to the time I spend on a bus or train. Writing in my journal might get pushed back to later in the evening because I can only squeeze so many thoughts in a five minute time period. Writing stories or essays might become weekend-oriented, and that's OK. 

No matter what time it all takes place, I have to do so slowly. The pace is what makes it sacred to me, because that's how I grow from it.  It fills my soul, and as long as I make the time for it, that's what matters most.