I went out for another 4:00 a.m. run this morning. As strange as it feels to type that, I have to say I really don’t mind the early morning running. I’m the sort of person that will get up early and as long as I don’t have to talk to anyone for a good hour or two, I’m fine. Some may even say cheerful, but they shouldn’t. Because that would violate the no talking rule. And yes, you should know that rule.
I was thinking about this today, when I was running and breathing in the cooler Fall-like air. (No, I am still not prepared to be in full-on Fall. Yes, I know that’s ridiculous. I don’t care.) I listened to my feet hitting the pavement and thought about how I really do love that early morning time. It feels so private, like it belongs only to me. I have a few friends that run early, but with people. I do like running buddies but something about that time on my own just makes it better. No traffic, no beating sun, no exhaustion from the day yet. Just me and my half-asleep brain which, if you haven’t noticed, is when it’s at it’s best. The brain is just better before it’s awake and in full Analysis of Life and All It Contains mode. Like what you’d imagine a “normal” brain to be.
So back to my propensity for quiet in the morning- I love it. I guess I just need the time to stare down the barrel of a full day. When I was a teenager, still living at home, I used to wake up early to read the paper. Often, my mother would wake up and begin talking to me. This is normal for her in the morning. So there she’d be, having an entire conversation with me about the dentist and hockey practice and the dog and there I’d be, staring at her hard enough to generate enough will to cease her voice with my mind. It would usually take a good ten minutes for her to look at me and say “okay, we’ll talk about this later.” I’d nod and go back to my Cheerios.
I’m lucky that this was just my mother, who has been willing to let me be me my entire life. What am I supposed to do when someone doesn’t get this? I think it’s reasonable, but then again, it’s my rule. And I don’t have many rules. Be kind, be willing to learn, work hard and, for gosh sake, DO NOT EXPECT SERIOUS CONVERSATION FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.
I need to find a nicer way of saying that.
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