Monday morning I awoke earlier than usual. I checked my phone and the bright light blinded me a little: it was 4:50 A.M. I still had at least a couple more hours of sleep. I put my head back on my pillow and shut my eyes. But something wouldn't let me sleep. Something wanted me awake. I got up and washed my face in the sink. I was tempted to let my thoughts get lost in all I had to do that day, or in overthinking events that played out over the weekend. I let go of those thoughts and forced myself to feel the water as it brushed my face and let the cold awaken my senses. I was suddenly alert, and aware of the present moment. The rest of the day didn't matter. All that mattered was now. I sat down and offered a prayer of gratitude. I asked God, in whatever sense He is, to trust me today. To expand my consciousness, and give me the chance to be more aware of those around me, to recognize that the opportunity to bless others is a gift from Him. I'm capable of helping. I'm capable of loving. That is where my power lies.
I open my book and begin to read. Finding a deeper meaning from stories and other people's viewpoints, fuels me. I read about what it means to have compassion. To live in harmony with one's self by recognizing that everything is apart of everything. We are all from the same source, and therefore, how we treat ourselves is a direct reflection of how we will treat others. I promise to be more forgiving of myself today.
It's now 6 A.M. I get dressed, put my head phones in, and step out the door to go for a run. I debate leaving my head phones home. Sometimes the quiet stillness in the morning tells secrets I don't want to miss. But music has a way of making you feel connected with the universe that is unlike any other. It also brings emotions to the surface that can be useful when your pushing through the last mile. So I start my playlist and take off toward the sunrise.
I cross the bridge that goes over the highway, and I watch as traffic zooms back and forth, as if it never stopped from the day before. I wonder where all the people are headed so early in the morning. I wonder what kind of jobs they have and what kind of lives they lead. I think about how i'll be joining the traffic soon.
I run up a hill and let the extra exertion open my lungs and leave me feeling more fatigued, yet empowered at the same time. It's one of the greatest feelings in the world, conquering a difficult hill. I thought about how many "hills" i've seemed to encounter in my life thus far. Some steeper, and more painful, than others. Which makes the end result, the view from the top, even more satisfying.
Once I reach the top of the hill I look down and notice how far I've made it. I think about how every new day is a chance to make it a little farther than the next. A couple miles in I reach my halfway mark and turn around and run home.
It's going to be a good day.