Early Alarms

I woke up to an alarm this morning. After going alarm-free on the weekdays for much of the summer (I wake naturally by 7), I set an alarm for a Saturday, of all days.

Was it preparation for the impending start of the school year? Perhaps. It will be a shock to all of our systems when my kids have to go back to flying out the door in time for buses and trains that get them to early classes. I may be a morning person, but the absence of a buzzing/ringing/trumpeting sound at five a.m. has been a relief, even to me.

So why, then, on a Saturday, did I choose to wake to that sound? Because I saw what I wanted to get done, and I saw it passing me by. Sure, I could luxuriate in hours of sleep and wake up at noon--that's what Saturdays are for, right? Or I could fit more of what I like to do (and a few things that just need to be done) into a Saturday, simply by rising to shut off the ringing/buzzing/trumpeting and facing my day.

Having packed in a day of fun and accomplishment, I am glad I did it. Had I slept till noon, I wouldn't have done half as much, and I'd likely be tired anyway. It's been a good last Saturday before school, and it's given me faith that the early-rising days ahead will fill us with new experiences and accomplishments.

It's not that those days of early alarms will always feel good. But some days, like today, I think we'll consider them worth it.