The Snowflake Chronicles

Morning Writing

Journal Entry 3: Morning Writing
Turning on the Lights class written in January 2010

Word Count:434

Each morning I write something, a letter in Writing My Spiritual Journey journal, a poem or a blog entry. Some mornings, even with my prewriting rituals, it is difficult to get started, difficult to write. My ritual consists of taking my medication, chanting God’s Most Great Name, making coffee, and washing the coffee cups.

There was a time when I didn’t bother washing my coffee cup before I use it, but Mom doctor diagnosed her with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. I have found that she has a tendency to use her coffee cup for other things besides coffee. She eats cereal, fruit, or soup and then puts the cup on the counter before she goes to bed. I still haven’t gotten into the habit of checking Mom’s coffee cup, the only cup she wants to use, before going to bed. Therefore, I have to wash the coffee cup before she gets up.

I then sit down to write. Some mornings I begin with an entry in Writing My Spiritual Journey and other mornings I begin the day with a poem, usually a Haiku. Next, I do one of two things, I go outside to pick up the morning paper or I go online to make blog entries. Which activity I do first depends on whether or not I have an idea for an entry in one of my blogs.

I like doing morning pages, especially on the mornings I get up at 4:00 or 4:30 AM, if I get up later then doing the pages becomes more difficult, but I do them anyway. If I am pushed for time because I over slept or kept pushing the snooze button, I make a short entry in my off in Writing My Spiritual Journey.

This winter Mom seems to have a more difficult time in the morning then in the afternoon. Therefore, I avoid taking Mom any place before 10:00 or 11:00 AM, unless necessary. I write in short bouts between episodes of finding lost or misplaced items. The medication Mom takes helps in some ways, but not in others.

I write my morning pages between interruptions. I’m beginning to think this is the best way to write and even if it isn’t I have not choice except to use this method or not write anything. If I don’t write in the morning, I have difficulty writing later in the day, when I write in the morning then it is easier to finish writing later in the day. In addition, my morning pages affect my mood and perception of the way my day goes.