My mother was always the first to rise in the morning. Once out of bed she was moving and ready to go. She got up early, 5 AM to 6 AM most of the time. She'd make the first pot of coffee and spent that hour or so getting ready for the day. I think the early morning was her time, a moment in space to herself when she could read, meditate, think about things. There were no distractions. Her girls and husband weren't awake yet. In looking back, I see now, it was the only time of day where she was beholden only to herself.
My father, on the other hand, was slow in waking up. He got his first cup coffee delivered to him in bed. One of his girls (or Mom) would quietly bring it to him, a stealth move, slip in and slip out as quickly as possible.
"Coffee, Dad." And the cup was set on the night stand. It wasn't that he was grumpy, he just didn't like getting up all of sudden, didn't like noise.
My sister, Erva was a bit more like Mom, just not so alert first thing. She liked her coffee but was relatively cheery. I was like Dad. Mumble, groan, pull the sheets back up, roll over, go back to sleep.
Erva and I didn't have alarm clocks. We had Mom. She believed in waking us up gently. She didn't think being abruptly awakened was a good way to start the day. She felt it would make all that followed seem edgy and anxious. She believed in calmness, subtly. Every morning she came into my bedroom, took hold of my big toe and gently shook it saying, "Time to get up, Sweetie." Or, "Wake up, Sweetie." Or "Rise and shine, Sweetie."
In 1970 Mom, Erva and I were in San Francisco saw Promises, Promises and Hair. On the Apollo Moon Mission, "Good Morning Starshine," was used to wake up the astronauts. The version they used is by Oliver, which is (IMHO) better than the original by the Broadway cast. It's a lovely little song.
Are you a hit-the-floor-running kind of person? Or a roll-over-go-back-to-sleep type? What does it say about your personality and how you approach your life, your work, your writing?
I could write three posts about morning and still not be done.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was like yours. Up before dawn. I was never like that until I had Monster Child.
When I was a kid, if my father was awake and downstairs you didn't speak. At all. He's a scary man, even now.
I would love to be able to sleep past 7am even on weekends but I jsut can't. I feel like I'm wasting my day.
I totally love that song, especially by Oliver, and (I can't believe I'm going to admit this) I had no idea it was in HAIR. I also thought it was sung by Donovan. I used to know all the words.
You'll have to excuse me, I have only had a half cup of tea so far.
I've never been a morning person, but with a shift at work that starts at 6AM I no longer have much choice.
ReplyDeleteMy whole family are morning people. The earlier the better, there is nothing quite as calming as that pre-dawn stillness and then the rising sounds as first the insects, and then the birds, awake.
ReplyDeleteHusband, on the other hand, is a very late sleeper. He doesn't use alarm clocks either. He has me. :)
Judy (South Africa)
Your mother sounds like an angel.
ReplyDeleteI can be perky and grumpy, at different times/seasons. In late autumn and throughout winter, I'm in hibernation mode. I wake up immediately, but need the warmth and early morning stillness to lie in bed and think. In spring and summer, I'm out of bed in no time, racing around the house, singing my head off. My kids are generally grumpy morning types. They have to be, with a mother like me.
I tend to wake up early because I go to bed so early. When I actually get out of bed, though, depends on the weather. I hate getting up in a cold house. I'd say I'm definitely a morning person--that's when I'm most creative. Lovely post. These glimpses into your childhood are a treat.
ReplyDeleteOh, it really depends on how much sleep I've had. If 6 hours, I may be slow in moving but 8 hrs - no problem, I running circles around the dog! ;-) I prefer writing in the morning if possible, while its still quiet.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture above btw! Beautiful skies. ;-)
Great question. Like your mother, I don't like alarm clocks either. I think the awful beeping is not a great tone with which to start the day.
ReplyDeleteI wake up around 8:00. I roll over, think about what I'm going to do that day. Form a plan. Think positive thoughts. Say a little prayer of thanks and finally get up.
Ugh, it's hard to get up in the morning I find...most mornings. I also like to wake my kids up so they don't have the alarm startling them out of their sleep. They get a rise and shine from me too, just like my mom did for me. :)
ReplyDeleteAngela @ The Bookshelf Muse
(Oh, apologies for not responding to your last mail--my computer crashed recently and when hubs set up my new one, I lost all my email from the last week. A small price to pay tho, in the long run, to have all my files back!
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse
My mom is like yours! Morning is her reading reflection coffee quiet time. I never got it as a kid. Why would you want to wake up earlier than you HAD to. But, now I see. I still don't DO it, but at least I understand her. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so not a morning person. I need at least 15 minutes after waking to lay in bed, stare out the window, and get myself together. This is hard with two kids under three, lol. I wish I could get up early and have some of that time to myself, and I may have to resort to that someday when my kids stop napping, but I'm not at my best early in the morning.
ReplyDeleteBecca @ The Bookshelf Muse
I'm a somewhere in between kinda girl. I can't jump up immediately and start my day, but I can't sleep in until forever either. I like a little bit of snooze time.
ReplyDeleteWow, did you take that first photo? It's a stunner.
ReplyDeleteI love watching dawn rise, if I've risen naturally. I usually wake just after, maybe sixish. But I've GOT to have my coffee right away.
Thanks for the starshine. :D
I'm an early bird, no doubt. But my most favorite thing is to read in bed for a while before I hit the ground running.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, that photo of the sky is amazing!!!
I like to roll over and go back to sleep. For me, the hardest part of writing is getting started.
ReplyDeleteMy 11 yr old son wakes me up each morning. He has to be on the bus at 7:10 so is the first up. I'd rather have my sweet boy wake me up than an annoying alarm clock. (though I hear his alarm clock each morning but doze til he gets me after he gets dressed).
ReplyDeleteI got up between 6-6:30 every day for ten years with my kids, but now that they are older, I find myself sleeping til 8 on the weekends!! Blissful!
Love the stories of your family mornings, Bish!
BTW, I sometimes sing Good Morning Starshine to my kindergartener when I'm waking him up. He sleeps in every day because he has afternoon kindergarten! He is still sleeping as I type this!
ReplyDeleteDear lord, I am definitely a roll-over-and-go-back-to-sleep kind of person. I love my sleep, but that's often because I have a hard time getting to sleep in the first place and I usually work best late at night!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous photo. I used to be a slow-to-wake-up kind of person, but now I love the early morning. I get way more accomplished in the morning!
ReplyDeleteI am a weird mix of the two. I can never tell if I'll be alert or not. :-)
ReplyDeleteI usually hit the floor running, and quite early too. I have a much harder time waking up from my nap. :)
ReplyDelete