I’m not a morning person. But having kids, and being the one who takes them to school every morning, forces me to get out of bed and get moving long before my body clock says let’s go.
I’ve been trying to do this dad thing for over 10 years now, and I still don’t pop off the mattress when the alarm clock says it’s time. Or when the first snooze says it’s time, or the second (I won’t tell you how long this game of snooze tag goes on every morning).
But the routine gets me out of the house and moving my body. I have priceless conversations with my kids about why the moon appears at different points in the sky some mornings, new materials we could use for art projects, and pigeon poop.
Then we say “have a great day, work hard, have fun, love you, bye.” And I walk.
I try not to think, just observe—noticing the spring trees starting to blossom, the little birds chirping in the shrubs, the way kids shuffle their feet through a sandy plaza while adults stare at their phones.
Many days I listen to Waking Up, and today I was reminded of this short 3-minute note on gratitude. I find it useful every time I hear it, so thought I’d pass it along:
→ See how we’re trying to capture more moments of gratitude with this simple activity.
