Saturday, March 7, 2009

All quiet on a Saturday morning


It's 7 a.m. and I've already been up for an hour-plus. Early-morning darkness is quickly turning to light. I used to love sleeping in. Now I find I enjoy the stillness of morning, especially on a Saturday or Sunday. Rising this early, the possibilities for how the day will play out seem endless.

Sure, there are plenty of mundane things to get done: grocery shopping, laundry, paying bills, feeding the pets. But there are little pleasures, too: savoring a freshly brewed cup of coffee, marveling at the reliability of the unseen carrier who delivers the newspaper to the doorstep, pondering when and where to do my weekend run.

Mostly, it's a time to appreciate what I have:
A loving wife (sound asleep at the moment), who's shared all of the most meaningful moments of my life while putting up with my imperfections and inconsistencies.

Three healthy adult children, each with a distinctly different personality and set of interests.

A comfortable home in a great neighborhood, where we've lived for more than 20 years.

The luxury -- some would call it a necessity -- of owning this computer, a portal to so many people, places and ideas.

A great job, editing the Sunday Opinion section of the Pacific Northwest's largest newspaper -- a job that keeps my mind sharp, teaches me something every week and provides (knock on wood) good pay and great benefits.

The security of having a roof over my head and no worries about where my next meal is coming from.
I don't take these things lightly, especially in this economy. People are struggling, if not financially then emotionally. I've never aspired to "have it all" in a material sense. I'm perfectly happy with my life and, more than ever, grateful for the blessings that make themselves evident in the quiet of a Saturday morning.

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