I'm a Morning Person!

Yes, I am. When I wake and feel the cool morning breeze blowing softly across the bed, when I hear the robins cheeping out their greeting, or even the mourning doves cooing their throaty songs, when I see the sunlight dancing through the crack in the curtains and flooding in through my open bedroom door, then I know it is time to rise yet again and help myself to another wonderful day.

Are they all wonderful, you might ask. Well, not all but enough that I can get through the others. I learned a long time ago that mostly the kind of day I have is up to me. Driving to school for yet another effort at taming the Grade 10 boys I was teaching that year, I had my own epiphany. I could think of all the bad things that might happen, of Jim's surly glances just barely held in check when I encouraged him to actually write in his journal. Or of Mike's odor which annoyed everyone within a few feet of him. And I could replay for the twentieth time that nasty scene with Dave as I once again forced him to sit down, actually stay in the desk, open his notebook and work on the assignment. None of these things set me up for a great day. I started to think of what I had at home--a wonderful husband, two intelligent and healthy children, a lovely home, everything I needed. I decided I was lucky to have my job. There were lots of people in the world who would gladly trade places with me and I would do better to concentrate on the superb parts of my life.

As I began to think in this way, using positive self talk as I now know Tony Robbins calls it, I began to feel better. A kind of peace stole over me bringing with it a feeling of power. I could do the tough things, the hard things, the things that drew on all my skills as a teacher and a person. I could do these things because I was strong. I had a loving family at home to anchor me as I went into the world and to be the reason that I worked so hard to be successful. Together my hubby and I were building our fantastic future and the present was a happy stepping stone.

Amazingly I have never forgotten that epiphany. Now, when things are tough, when bad things come as they inevitably do, I still try to count my blessings. I think of all the warm moments of my life, of the many people who are important to me and who love me, and I think of all the happy moments each day that fill my heart with glee. Yes, glee! And though the nest of the mourning dove we watched hatch her eggs is empty, my heart is brimming with happy moments, hours, days and years. As John Denver said, when the sun comes up, I got cakes on the griddle.