thwarted, sort of, but not really

I've gotten into a nice little morning routine these last few weeks. The alarm goes off at 6 and I reach over to the bedside table to get my glasses. As I do that, the cat jumps up and goes racing out to the kitchen. I stumble out to the kitchen too, put the kettle on for tea, put food and fresh water in her bowls. As the water comes to a boil I empty the dish washer or putter around straightening in the kitchen. I pour the water and put my meditation cushion on the floor and start my meditation timer and then just try to breathe. Simply, lovingly, in the early morning quiet before the city truly begins to wake.

And then, after those fifteen minutes, I add honey and milk to my very-strong, long-steeping mug of tea, and I read my emails and check the weather and eventually shower and am out the door by half past seven.

Except this morning my simple, living, loving breathing was abruptly interrupted by a huge sneeze. And that huge sneeze freaked out the cat, who then came over and started yowling in my face. At which point I got the giggles and practically fell off my meditation cushion and finally just thew my hands up in the air and turned around to check the timer.

There were only a few seconds left anyway, though, and all in all it still seems like a good way to start a beautiful September Friday morning.