Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Funny Sentimental Mornings


If you are in search of a funny sentimental morning with which to start your day or the day of your loved ones, then this post is for you. 

Funny Sentimental Mornings, 

Begin with a quiet, relaxing candlelit breakfast. There's nothing like meandering your way down the stairs only to be greeted by the welcoming stillness of a beautifully set, deliciously presented breakfast buffet, set atop a white linen tablecloth, adorned with freshly cut flowers and freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juice. 
Something internally pleasant happens to us when we greet the day softly. When our first step is onto a carefully placed down feathered pillow, and each step thereafter is gingerly guided toward a veritable feast for the senses. We smile. Our mind smiles. And as the sun rises to greet us, we have time to ourselves to awaken back to the dream reality as our bearings line up and we prepare ourselves to embrace the day. To race against ourselves, to create and do and inspire. To know where we need and want to be and for how long. To know what we wish to accomplish each step along the way, be it the strengthening of a relationship, the creation of something that wouldn't otherwise exist were it not for our brining it to light, or the privilege of doing our part in good citizenry. 
Whatever is planned or left to spontaneous unfoldment or natural progression, is quietly savored, imagined, and informed by our brains that it will be greeted in the order received, but for now, for these brief moments we have all to ourselves, we're going to relax the tension from our shoulders, take light easy breaths, and sip from the nectar of the gods, known in some countries as "coffee". 


The Candlelit Market of Petras van Schendel


This morning I was reminded of the Belgian painter Petrus van Schendel (1806-1870), whose mastery of light captures the attention of this colorblind purveyor of fine art. I may not see color, per se, at least not as traditional colorsighted individuals view color, but even I notice the difference between the moonlight and the light of the morning's sunrise. Maybe not so much in this painting, but conceptually and in person. 
The moments between early morning and sunrise are specifically soothing. The light captures the unique properties of subtle illumination; all is possible. Our internal response is filled with aliveness and possibility. The light illuminates our daily tasks and all seems easier and more playful. Fun, even. 
When we start our day with a soft, pleasant easing back into the waking world, we should place importance on how we greet ourselves every day. If we greet ourselves in a rush, give away our sacred time to others, or otherwise bombard this time with the day's business, we are not preparing ourselves for battle or celebration. We are preparing ourselves to be drug about by the peripheral whims of our life's circumstances. When we greet ourselves like royalty, we build empires. 


Morning comes too soon for most people, but that is because most people are jumping into their day, playing catch-up from the moment their feet hit the hard floor. Softening our initial footsteps, preparing a beautifully lit breakfast table, and greeting the world for her possibilities remarkably captures the quality of the day before anyone else has the opportunity to define it for us. 

Torment cannot be mistaken for morning. Mornings must be cultivated between the cool, off-white illumination of the moonlight and the warm, golden illumination afforded by candles until the sun rises. The flickers of light tint our flesh and thoughts with tones of warmth and vitality, leaving unexposed skin and thoughts in grey-black shadows. 



Breakfast need not be fussy to hold our attention. A basket of fresh pastries, juice, cheese and meats (or vegan choices) are an easy way to recreate the beautiful mornings by which our predecessors used to greet the day. Class and cultivation need not vanish as a way of life, enjoyed only on special occasions and holidays, or in our most romantic fantasies. 

Making time for beauty in our lives may not have anything to do with humor, but it sure puts us in a good mood, making us a thousand times more receptive to the little moments that make life rich and rewarding. 

Funny sentimental mornings are my family's favorite way to start the day. 














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