Morning Thoughts, July 24

As much as I enjoy the morning, there are times when I am very perplexed by my interactions with it.

I wake up. I decide what I want to do today. I get out of bed. I say a little prayer. I thank God for allowing me to see another day. After those few things, I am ready to lay back down, and reflect on my life, on what I should do, on what I should not do. Morning inspires me to think.

I enjoy thinking. My imagination needs the workout. There are times when I create elaborate puzzles in my mind as I try to understand why my friends do what they do. I have had thoughts on abortion and what I personally and privately would say to someone if I knew that abortion was being contemplated. I have spent many hours thinking about my vocation.

The list of things that have passed through my mind is endless. Several return again and again. Each morning there are prayers to be said, ideas to be contemplated. Sometimes instead of doing direct contemplation, I perform indirect contemplation where I do research. I read articles, skim through books, watch various programs on the television, listen to music.

Whatever the theme for the day is, my mind returns to that.

There is time for silence. There is time for quick personal phone calls. The morning allows an innocent intimacy between myself and God. When I allow myself to be patient and still, I can sense God's presence, encouraging and inspiring me to do something good, to stop thinking of myself and start thinking of others who might need his assistance.

Morning reminds me that there is always work to do, that prayer is always needed, that I am fallible and sometimes forgetful, and that I am more blessed and loved than I realize.