Upon First Waking

In the winter, it can be hard to drag myself out of bed. The cozy warmth a safe haven on the most frigid of days. During these cold, dark months I have a morning routine that begins with my alarm which plays this song. I then blindly snake one arm out from under the covers to switch on the tree candles and after my eyes adjust, the tree lights, followed by a crackling fireplace on my tv. The last step is to turn on my current favorite playlist…but not too loud please. Since my mood is often influenced by the music I play, this step is important. This routine creates a gentle, happy start to my days. 

 That tree you see in the photograph is not a Christmas tree although you could be mistaken for thinking it was. It is in fact, a “cozy season” tree thus making it legal to have up from approximately Nov 1st until whenever the heck I take it down. I don’t make the rules. The weather does. I am more than happy to use the excuse to create my own warmth. 

 I love mornings. I also love autumn and winter but I know there are plenty of people who do not. I am a big fan of finding ways to love every season, both meteorologically and metaphorically. Add in all the extra little moments of joy you can. I know from experience that building rituals into my life gives me something to look forward to during the mundane, difficult, overwhelming or difficult seasons. I suspect there is a long winter ahead for me and I am fortifying my spirit with all the little things that add warmth to my days. I hope you can find some of those for yourself as well.