Morning Rituals

I am sitting in the upstairs room of my parents-in-laws house listening to Sam working on putting new wheels on his fathers wheelchair, Sams mom is making some loud comments so that everyone can hear her voice just so it's heard. Sam is clanking away at taking the wheels off to put on the new ones. His Dad is doing his morning rituals while singing a gentle hymn and I am thinking of the usual, everyday things that families do to make their life normal. I remember when I was little that I would bumble out of bed in my usual pj's of a t-shirt and underoo's and go and sit under a blanket on the couch and watch some tv to get my day going. Maybe a little cereal or pancakes to really start the creative juices flowing as my brother and I postponed our homeschooling day as much as we could. We would get on the old Apple IIE and maybe play a little Oregon Trail or get out the Nintendo and finish up some Super Mario Bros II or go outside and spend the day in the woods pretending about something really great. The part that I don't even think I ever thought about back then, the part that I took for granted, is the air of taking it easy. Yes, we had stuff to do, but it never seemed to be overwhelming. We could take it easy and feel no pressure in life for all of the stuff that needed done. I love remembering that at one time in my life I felt like that. I so enjoy those rare times that show up when I feel that way all over again. I think that is why when those times do show up I enjoy them so much more, because I realize that I don't always have that time in the morning to sit at the couch in my pj's and watch some tv. I don't get the pancakes in the morning anymore like mom used to make them. I don't go outside or play some video games to jump start the morning anymore. That's ok with me, I would just really like to have a morning ritual that gave me at least a few moments of ease that I could get ready and enjoy the day that I have set before me.