Early Mornings
I have been told that early mornings are some of the most peaceful and quiet times of the day.
On those rare occasions when I caught a sunrise it was because I had worked through the night and was just heading off to bed as light dawned.
Some of my most productive and enjoyable hours of the day come after everyone has turned in and I can sit in silence. Something about the darkness and quiet of a late night turning into early morning feeds my soul. It has not been uncommon for me to stay awake until two or three in the morning. Late nights are my best hours.
I Tried
Throughout my life, I have been told that rising by nine is not good form. Friends have mocked me. People shared that while I was getting ready to start the day much of the world has a good four or five hours of work in.
I tried to make myself an early riser.
I would set multiple alarms. Through the years I even set some across the room so I had to get up to silence them. All this did was cause stress to others in my household.
For years I longed to be like my grandfather. Joe was up before dawn every day. Coffee in hand he greeted the sunrise sitting in quiet with his Bible and a good book.
Eventually, I learned that the rhythm of my life was going to be different. When people questioned my tendency to start the day later than most I offered to call them at midnight. That silenced most critics.
The Change
In August 2021 I retired. Nancy will tell you I have filled my time with multiple projects, and she is correct. Yet, they are projects I can do on my schedule. Work if I feel like it, nap when my body says nap.
So why, why in the world am I up with the sunrise?
Nancy and Rayann have commented that I am messing with their morning routines. Rayann eats breakfast in total silence. My questions and morning greetings do not fit into her idea of a good morning. Once I am up Nancy feels the need to start moving around and her ability to sit and relax evaporates.
Even Avila looks at me with questioning eyes as I am up with the first light. She had grown to appreciate our later mornings. My early morning rising was messing with her perfect dog life.
My nighttime habits have not changed. I am still up until the early morning. My body simply needs less sleep and finds itself wide awake as the sun rises.
The other day I was texting a friend at seven am and almost mid-text they interrupted their thought to ask, “what in the world are you doing up at this hour?”
So, the change is happening, and I cannot explain why.
For the first time in my adult life, I have the freedom to sleep until noon and I find myself up at the crack of dawn.
How We Respond to Change
This got me thinking about the many changes that have come my way through life. I have worked hard to bring about some change, while others simply happened.
How are we to respond to change in our lives?
Accept the fact that change is one constant in our lives. No matter where we are or what is going on, people and situations will be evolving.
Stop fighting to bring about the change we long for. A lot of energy is spent trying to have the world move as we believe it should. The anxiety, stress, and energy invested in trying to change others might be better invested in looking at how we respond to the world around us.
Stop resisting change. Change is inevitable. We will not stop it, the question is how we will navigate the new seasons we find ourselves in. Rather than fight the changes, ask how would the Spirit have me move in the midst of this new world?
Content but not complacent: Content that the person I am today is just a foreshadow of the person I am becoming. Accepting the reality I find myself in is being used to shape the amazing person I am growing to be. Never complacent with where we are, looking for the new thing that the Spirit is doing in our midst. Content but not complacent carries the idea of being joyful in the moment and hopeful for the future.
The change is happening. I do not understand why. I especially do not understand why now.
Rather than question and resist the change, I have accepted my new way of moving through the world.
My spirit ceased fighting and resisting the change.
There is a joy in being content with my early morning rising. I am hopeful that it will lead to deeper and further changes as I ask the Spirit to show me how I am to move in this new season of life.
How About You?
- Where do you see change taking place in your life and world?
- How are your reacting, responding to it?
- Is there a healthier way for you to respond to the changes within your life?
- What does the Spirit whisper to your soul about the changes taking place all around you?
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