I looked up at the sky, the sun starting to drop itself into the horizon, I knitted my brows together to squint and let out a sigh.
It occurred to me, I loved the early morning and the early evening. The way the world started to slow down, my own rhythms starting to change with the position of the sun.
It was those hours in between that felt more chaotic, the sun was glaring from it's lofty position above us, people were in full swing in their day, the traffic surged....
It was this morning I walked Maizee and watched neighbors collecting their coffee, grabbing their newspapers, hats pulled over their bed head to hide their sleep crusted eyes.
I walk the streets in half pajamas, half street clothes, my black dog loping along beside me, in front of me, behind me (she's not the best walker, we have nicknamed her drunk driver for her inconsistent pathing). The day is new, I breathe and watch others begin their mornings and think of others who have not yet been able to enjoy the morning from a late night out.
This evening, I stroll back from the gym (yes, I did run and it felt great). The grocery store is filled with last minute shoppers for the 4th, the cashiers wearing their headbands with red, white and blue stars sticking out of them (my favorite one, who calls me "Mommie" finds me a $1.50 coupon for breyers ice cream - did I mention I love her?) The trash has been rolled out to the curb from local eateries, signs announce that they will be closed for the holiday, neighbors sit on stoops with glasses of wine watching the day slow down.
It is a few shorts blocks until I am home, where the groceries will be put away, dinner will be started, the nighttime routine for my baby will begin. But it's these few blocks where I pray for strength, courage, patience - to find the love in my heart every day. From Waltham to Hanson, I pray for all these things. In 2 short blocks, I ask for the world over and climb the stairs to put them in practice.