Morning quiet

     I recently read the advice of a blogger (who talks about simplifying one's life and building good habits), who suggested that you should do something you enjoy each morning. The idea was that the morning should not just be a rushed list of chores you must hurry to complete, but that you should also have a bit to look forward to.
     For me, this activity is sitting outside on the porch. I don't manage it every morning, especially if I have an 8am appointment. But most days I get up early enough that I can make my coffee and go sit on my front porch. The cat and dog join me, each on their own harness and string. I watch the kids walking to school, and the neighbors heading off to work. I read the comics and watch the birds in my garden. This spring, a pair of house sparrows built a nest tucked into the eaves of the porch. I couldn't ever catch a glimpse of the baby birds, but I could hear their cheeps, and could hear them getting older as the cheeps got lower in tone, and slightly less urgent with time. They must have left the nest this past week, because the parents are no longer flying back and forth, nonstop, with worms and other goodies. Eventually, it's time for the real day to start, and I pack my lunch and head off to work.