Early mornings have always been special to me. The day hasn't yet become busy and hectic, my thoughts are on the bigger things of life.
I'm usually up before Michelle and the time alone with my thoughts is special to me. Latter in the day, my thoughts are not as clear, not as pure, and caught up with the "tasks" of life.
Whether at home, or away on vacation, I'm usually the first one up. Some of my favorite memories are sitting and sipping coffee or tea and watching the sun come up.
Several years ago on a cruise vacation, I developed the habit to get up early and go to the ships breakfast area. It was on the stern of the ship and when I arrived the same small group of people would usually be there, the "morning people." Some would have cameras in hand, waiting to catch the spectacular sunrise over the water, others would just sit and sip their coffee and enjoy the quiet. The crew was busy getting things started, but they were moving at a more relaxed pace and even though they were up only because we were, they seemed to appreciate us "morning people."
One day, sitting there and sipping coffee, I had my note pad out and the thoughts were just flowing. I was writing frantically, trying to capture my thoughts, and a crew member who recognized me from other mornings came over and said in a warm way, "no work on vacation."
It wasn't work, it was writing, it was meditation, it was prayer, it was spending time coming to know myself and my place in the world.
I've heard of other people doing the same. I've also heard of people taking a late night walk after all the "work" of the day is over, or sitting or walking in a special place at lunch time to do the same. These "early mornings" come at different times and are spent in different ways.
Some meditate, some pray, some write, some listen to music, some drink coffee.
There is a saying I like, "the time you enjoy waisting is not wasted time."
There is much work that needs to be done in each day, there is much good that needs to be accomplished, and there is much that can be gained from "early mornings."
