For the past 28 years, I've been rising before dawn, typically around 6am.
My alarm is set for this time—which is at least an hour or two before I need to be
awake to ensure a productive day for myself, and also before I'm really ready
to be awake—to allow me time to pack a lunch for my husband, Glenn.
To me, this has always seemed like a routine part of my day. It’s something
I just do. But over the years, I’ve come to realize that this is not a common
practice in today’s busy world, and I’ve also learned that people respond to
the idea in some very passionate ways. Even our own daughters can't believe it.
I am consistently asked “Why?” by nearly everyone I meet who learns about
my devotion to feeding the man I married 28 years ago. I’ve received looks of
concern, eye rolls, tongue clucks, and outright sneers when I discuss my
mornings of darkness, staggering down the hallway to a cold
kitchen to begin the process of making a somewhat healthy breakfast and
lunch.
I’ve been asked, “Well, if he can’t do it himself, why not just do it at
night so you don’t have to get up?”
I’ve been told, “I would never do that for anyone.”And finally, the most unsettling question of all has been, “What does he do for you in return?”
In response to all the inquiries and quizzical head tilts, I’ve had to do my own bit of soul searching to come up with the real answers, for myself more than for anyone else.
No, I’m not subservient. Far from it he would say. He would do it himself or buy lunch if I suddenly refused to crawl out of bed with him in the morning. No, I’m not trying to mimic some long-forgotten image of the perfect housewife. Although I am darn close!
So what is it? Why do I feel it’s so important to rise with Glenn, prepare
healthy, sustaining meals for him while he’s at work, and send him off on a
positive note each day?
The answers are, it turns out, rather simple. Beyond a driving desire to
ensure he's fueled by fresh produce,
fresh breads, fruits and vegetables,
and homemade salads and meals, I have found my reasons for this piece of
my daily routine are really quite selfish.
First, I love being the wife who does this kind of thing. It makes me feel
proud to know that he’s bragging about me to his work buddies (who are eating
out every day), and I know that he’s thinking of me when he opens that lunch
box to see what I’ve prepared. I know there are some days he might shake
his head.
Second, I reap the benefits of the extra hour or two I have after he’s left
for work and before the rest of my day begins. The house is quiet and I make
use of this time to catch up on reading, to exercise, to knit or crochet, to
make plans, or to write. It’s become my favorite part of the day, because it's
all about whatever I want to do.
Finally (and this is by far not the least of the
reasons), I continue to rise before the sun with my hard-working man so that I can see him and offer some loving care before
either of us begins our day. The few moments we spend in early morning watching
the news, set the tone for everything that will transpire throughout the next
24 hours.
The feeling of connectedness and well-being that occurs in our early
morning embraces carries into the evening when he returns and we have dinner
together, gone are the days of running our kids to a variety of events, and tending to their daily needs. It's a ritual that is ours alone, and
that nourishes both of us in very important, fundamental ways.
In a world where everyone is so busy, so distracted, and so focused on
where they're headed next and what they're getting out of everything that they
do, a few moments in the early morning quiet can go a long way. Mundane rituals
such as packing a lunch that doesn’t really need to be packed can help create a
habit of taking a breath, looking at what (or who) is in front of you, and
being grateful. The satisfaction of doing something for someone else, something
that you pour your heart into, is great. Both parties thrive on that type of
love.
My challenge to you now is to create your own ritual. Show someone how much
you love them and see how it changes your life.
