Early Morning Solitude

It is 6:30 on a Saturday morning, and everybody else is still cozily bundled up in their blankets and holding fast to their dreams.

Friday nights are for staying up late with abandon, for voraciously reading the pile of books and magazines that lie around half-read, for staying glued to the tube and having DVD marathons, for aimlessly trolling the Net for bits of news here and there, for having late-night snacks with the little ones without worrying about the number of hours still left for slumber before another school/work-day begins again.

Saturday mornings are for sleeping in minus the guilt, for not needing any reason to lounge around in bed, for not having to give any excuse about still wearing the comfy pj's.

Saturday mornings are for simply... being.

And so even if I was woken up very early today (at around half-past 5) by a whimpering 5-month old looking for milk, even if I have not been able to reclaim my place in dreamland, I am content. For however long this quiet time of mine lasts today, I am thankful.

It has been almost 2 months since I last posted anything on this blog, what with going back to the office after my maternity leave, and work suddenly taking on a dizzying, whirlwind quality to it, that there simply was no time after going home, playing with the little ones, checking the schoolgirl's assignments, and just seeing to the myriad details of daily life. The little time left was spent reading a few pages here and there, or glancing through Facebook.

I have sorely missed putting down my thoughts onto paper (albeit an electronic version of it). And this unexpected blessing of an early morning alone-time came at just the right time.

I can hear numerous birds chirping merrily outside, interspersed with roosters crowing. The morning dew has not yet fully dissipated, and the air is still fresh with the promise of a new day. Apart from the low rumble of the odd vehicle passing along the main road, it is just so peaceful.

In the rush to prepare for every day, and race through it and do as much as we can with the limited time we have, there is almost no time left to sit in silence and contemplate the beauty of this world.

True, the worries that have niggled at us may still be there, but we can push them to the back-burners of our minds, even for a few moments. The problems of society will not magically disappear by us simply wishing them away.

But life is still beautiful. It may not be perfect, but there is indeed a lot to be grateful for.

So I take this early morning solitude of mine and offer up a heartfelt prayer of thanks.