good morning, morning

I’d like to talk about a few of the rare acts of consistency in my life. Let’s see: my meditation practice; my Morning Pages; this Blog.

I began meditating in 2008, while living with my son Spenser in a winter rental down the end of Cape Cod. A book from the North Truro library titled “Wherever You Go There You Are” sent me on my way. I’ve meditated nearly every morning since, and all the mornings these past three years. Nowadays I meditate two or three times before my first coffee. It’s not a lot to ask when the alarm on my phone (a cardinal’s song) is set for 2:59.

In May of 2011 I officially retired from my career in human services. A month later I bought a used copy of Julia Cameron’s “The Artist Way” on Ebay, and took her suggestion to begin writing three notebook pages every day for 12 weeks. She noted it would be a good idea to carry on when the 12-week ‘course’ was complete. I have never missed a day since then, writing my Pages. Not a single day.

I’d had a Blog about 12 years ago, then got tired of sharing my opinions. In August of 2018 the idea came to resume life as a blogger, posting what I’ve called “my daily weather” as subject, weekdays. With the exception of a short break earlier this year, I’ve barely missed a day. Yesterday’s post was a picture of an elephant at the San Diego zoo I’d snapped on an outing with my sweetie the previous afternoon. I never promised it would be heavy, the Blog, though that elephant ….

I can’t imagine my life without these sacred activities. Clearly my best examples of commitment, consistency, and devotion these 75-plus years. Take it from me, my resume is a crazy train, all the zipcodes in which I’ve received mail might baffle Albert Einstein, the Greyhound Bus Co. with my picture on its ‘Wall of Honor.’ People, places, and things – in and out – come and gone. And, through the looking glass, these three behaviors. I suppose I can add not taking a drink or a drug a day at a time the last 41 years as another everyday rhythm. Those wide arms holding, allowing the rest of it.

This good morning I’ve sat, I’ve written, and now here. Oh – coffee’s up there too.