Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night, head full of amazing and often profound thoughts? You lay there in that calm, quiet space, strolling through an awareness that eludes you in the light of day. You make mental notes of your enlightened brilliance, sentences coming together with grace and eloquence, thoughts so clear, flowing so easily that you know you will remember them always. Thoughts that you can't wait to share. Thoughts that bring comfort and clarity. Thoughts that will be perfect for day two of my new commitment to write. The calm, quiet space lulls you, holds you, carries you and you ....
In my life, Sophie and Opie who are now fifteen, need me to get up at 4:30. I thought when the time changed and the clocks "spring forward", we would sleep until 5:30 but no, they still demand my immediate attention at exactly 4:30. The meows are soft but insistent... at first. I lay very still and pretend I can't hear them but that only works for a few minutes and then Sophie creeps up to my head and pulls my hair. Opie quickly joins in and I know if don't force my feet to the floor, they will have Jules awake and he is NOT a morning person.
I don't really mind so much. I love those early hours. Coffee on, cats fed, mug steaming, grateful for another ordinary day. The involuntary creation of the mental "to do" begins ... pay bills, clean litter boxes, unload the dishwasher, start a load of clothes, play with the order of the seeds that I will start once the sun is up, water the beautiful flowers Skylar sent yesterday, pot the geraniums ... and then I pause for a moment to touch Shannon's sweet face as I pass the photo on the bookcase, coffee now cool enough to sip...
And those profound and wonderful thoughts from that place of calm and quiet?
What thoughts?