The morning ritual continues....
....I am happy to report. Let me explain...
...I've been separated and divorced for nearly seven years now. During the upheaval of my life, I've gone from shock and disbelief to peace and contentment from fear and chaos to strength and empowerment--you name it, I've felt the range of emotions. I've suffered sickness and found health again. I was rich and then poor. Ha!! I thought marriage was supposed to be the buffer for all of this not the 'cause'. I should pull up the stages of grief to find where I am on that scale. I still have a way to go, I'm certain, but I'm still here--alive and kicking!!
Somewhere in the midst of all the adjustments I found peace and quiet in the early morning hours. Mind you, I do have a ritual that begins long before I can finally sit down and relax with my cup of tea or coffee and bowl of fruit. After high school and before they were off to college, the kids left behind two cats, a brother and sister pair (Clive and Toby), as is the case with the two kids (a son and daughter) who left them in mom's care. My daughter later left a large fish tank from her college days with three fish still thriving. This number was recently reduced to one 'bottom feeder', so what did I do? Yep, I placed two more fish (a fantail goldfish and a black moor) in the tank again, so I take full responsibility for that situation now.
Before I obtained my African Grey Parrot, a timneh I named Kanoni (African for 'little bird'), I was feeding crows (remember 'Tapper'?) on my deck the leftovers from my solitary meals. It's difficult to cook for one person without a lot of food going to waste, so I found a remedy to that situation when I decided to share the extra food with the squirrels and crows and what became a parade of woodland animals (raccoons and opossums and skunks and deer and more) from the woods behind my house. They are the creatures/critters that keep me company as I sit here now in my breakfast room with my laptop enjoying a morning snack. I'm surrounded by windows, so I have a view in front of me, beside me, and behind me too. This ritual is one I treasure and for which I'm pleased to return.
During the first few years of my separation, the kids were in and out of our home as they attended community college, left for college internships at Disney in Orlando and came back home before going off to Universities. They were often here while deciding where to settle after graduation. For one year of my separation, my sister, her husband and two kids lived with me while they were in a job transition which took them from Florida to Tennessee. So after the kids moved out for good and before my sister's family joined me, I had settled into a comfortable routine. It was easy to keep my house in order with only myself to care for, well, myself and the 'critters'. Though I am not a morning person, per se, duty demands that I wake up to take responsibility for my 'flock'. I also worked for awhile during this time, and I've recently taken another job to provide a little extra income and much needed human interaction.
If you've followed my blog at all, you'd know that my dad had a heart attack in the last week of November, 2006. He's had open heart surgery, gall bladder removal, and a stroke since. He suffered/survived his stroke in May and around the same time my daughter began to manifest some health issues as well. I'll spare you the details except to tell you that I've spent about eight weeks of my summer visiting between the two of them to provide whatever care I could. I tell you this so that you can understand why this morning ritual is something I value now more than ever. It has become a great time to reflect and to find gratitude for the moments when things are simply okay in my world.
As I look out my window today, I see 'Tapper' and the extras he brings along when there is food to share. The squirrels are showing up daily too, and they all seem content enough feeding side by side--each taking their turn indulging in the feast. Of course Clive generally comes around too, just to remind them all who was here first!! Yes, life is good when I can indulge in my morning ritual. See for yourself! (Pics are a little blurry--taken w/out the flash and through the window so I would not disturb the 'critters' ritual'.)
FYI--Did you know there are 269 mgs of calcium in 10 medium dried figs compared to only 117 mgs in a 3.3 oz /100 grams cup of whole milk?!? :)) Ha!! I'm at that age now where calcium is a concern and since I no longer drink whole milk, it's good to know you can actually obtain more calcium in other foods.
What are your morning rituals? Are they rushed and hurried? Are they calm and peaceful? Is there a hustle and bustle of people in your household? Does this include animals? Are you lonely, sick or well? Happy or sad? I wonder......
...I've been separated and divorced for nearly seven years now. During the upheaval of my life, I've gone from shock and disbelief to peace and contentment from fear and chaos to strength and empowerment--you name it, I've felt the range of emotions. I've suffered sickness and found health again. I was rich and then poor. Ha!! I thought marriage was supposed to be the buffer for all of this not the 'cause'. I should pull up the stages of grief to find where I am on that scale. I still have a way to go, I'm certain, but I'm still here--alive and kicking!!
Somewhere in the midst of all the adjustments I found peace and quiet in the early morning hours. Mind you, I do have a ritual that begins long before I can finally sit down and relax with my cup of tea or coffee and bowl of fruit. After high school and before they were off to college, the kids left behind two cats, a brother and sister pair (Clive and Toby), as is the case with the two kids (a son and daughter) who left them in mom's care. My daughter later left a large fish tank from her college days with three fish still thriving. This number was recently reduced to one 'bottom feeder', so what did I do? Yep, I placed two more fish (a fantail goldfish and a black moor) in the tank again, so I take full responsibility for that situation now.
Before I obtained my African Grey Parrot, a timneh I named Kanoni (African for 'little bird'), I was feeding crows (remember 'Tapper'?) on my deck the leftovers from my solitary meals. It's difficult to cook for one person without a lot of food going to waste, so I found a remedy to that situation when I decided to share the extra food with the squirrels and crows and what became a parade of woodland animals (raccoons and opossums and skunks and deer and more) from the woods behind my house. They are the creatures/critters that keep me company as I sit here now in my breakfast room with my laptop enjoying a morning snack. I'm surrounded by windows, so I have a view in front of me, beside me, and behind me too. This ritual is one I treasure and for which I'm pleased to return.
During the first few years of my separation, the kids were in and out of our home as they attended community college, left for college internships at Disney in Orlando and came back home before going off to Universities. They were often here while deciding where to settle after graduation. For one year of my separation, my sister, her husband and two kids lived with me while they were in a job transition which took them from Florida to Tennessee. So after the kids moved out for good and before my sister's family joined me, I had settled into a comfortable routine. It was easy to keep my house in order with only myself to care for, well, myself and the 'critters'. Though I am not a morning person, per se, duty demands that I wake up to take responsibility for my 'flock'. I also worked for awhile during this time, and I've recently taken another job to provide a little extra income and much needed human interaction.
If you've followed my blog at all, you'd know that my dad had a heart attack in the last week of November, 2006. He's had open heart surgery, gall bladder removal, and a stroke since. He suffered/survived his stroke in May and around the same time my daughter began to manifest some health issues as well. I'll spare you the details except to tell you that I've spent about eight weeks of my summer visiting between the two of them to provide whatever care I could. I tell you this so that you can understand why this morning ritual is something I value now more than ever. It has become a great time to reflect and to find gratitude for the moments when things are simply okay in my world.
As I look out my window today, I see 'Tapper' and the extras he brings along when there is food to share. The squirrels are showing up daily too, and they all seem content enough feeding side by side--each taking their turn indulging in the feast. Of course Clive generally comes around too, just to remind them all who was here first!! Yes, life is good when I can indulge in my morning ritual. See for yourself! (Pics are a little blurry--taken w/out the flash and through the window so I would not disturb the 'critters' ritual'.)
FYI--Did you know there are 269 mgs of calcium in 10 medium dried figs compared to only 117 mgs in a 3.3 oz /100 grams cup of whole milk?!? :)) Ha!! I'm at that age now where calcium is a concern and since I no longer drink whole milk, it's good to know you can actually obtain more calcium in other foods.
What are your morning rituals? Are they rushed and hurried? Are they calm and peaceful? Is there a hustle and bustle of people in your household? Does this include animals? Are you lonely, sick or well? Happy or sad? I wonder......
posted by Di at 6:36 AM
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