The Morning

I know quite a number of holy people. A good number of them make a time of prayer and meditation first thing in the morning their essential start to the day. My process is more like a humanity check.

As I wake I rehearse the things I know to be in my dairy today. I used to check my diary as well but that joke wore a bit thin.

I get up and tidy round then microwave the cold coffee that Mrs T placed by my bed some time ago (miracle 1).

I take the clean washing out of the washing machine and pause in awe of this small miracle of recycling.

I turn on my computer and watch as it performs its own checks and obtains its downloaded updates (miracle 3).

I go to my ISP's web-site and mark the new spam, then download the real stuff, adding anything extra to today's things-to-do list and clearing the in-box as fast as possible. Any email reply that simply involves acknowledgement or thanks I send at once.

I wake my brain up properly with the daily Kakuro at indigo puzzles. Lack of success means I need to carry out one or two further checks before engaging in more detail with the world.

I consider eating and reject the idea for a bit longer.

I weigh up the Today programme (not today) or some music (not yet) the while my mind is coming to life, God-breathed afresh imho, and I muse on any scripture that might be speaking to me today whilst offering the daily prayer, 'I'm still listening.'

By this time I normally have a structure in place for my day and an order for the things I must do in the gaps between appointments.

Once upon a time a part of my essential waking up process was a 45 drive across the Birmingham rush hour. This is so much safer for the rest of the world.