I was so jet lagged yesterday (Marrakech, Morocco Atlanta, Georgia = 5 hour difference) that I could barely stay awake at the dinner table with the family. I powered through, dozing off a bit at the table while trying to keep up conversations with the kiddos and L. Soon after slowly eating my last bite of Indian-styled pizza, I took tired ass to bed. Brushed my teeth, washed my face, crawled into bed. It was 7:45pm and still bright outside.
I woke up at 4:30am, rested and relaxed, happy and alive. I did some yoga at the foot of the bed to wake up my back and legs since they are still sore from the 70 miles of running I recently did in Morocco (recap story + pictures coming soon). With a warmed up body, I walked to the bathroom and took a hot and steamy shower. Lathered up, washed down, and moisturized every inch of my beautiful brown skin for the day. Scented oil in my beard, lotion on my face, and trimmed some radical facial hairs. Pulled on some sweats and a grey-blue v-neck shirt. I was as ready I want to be today.
Put a kettle of water on the stove to make tea for myself and coffee. I’ve recently moved from coffee to tea which has been AMAZING!
Cut up an apple and oranges for the family. Put some cinnamon on the oranges like they did in Morocco and took a slice outside to the front porch.
With my orange slice, cold, juicy, and sticky-wet I listened to the birds waking up for the day. Songs and conversations, chirps and flutters, they were alive, they were happy. It was just a bit chilly outside on the porch, my skin reacted as it should, and I stood there feeling my inner warmth in contrast to the cool breeze on my skin.
I noted as my mind wandered to the day’s activities that I was getting anxious about future things that didn’t matter in the moment. I slowed my mind down by focusing on my breath, “I am breathing in…I am breathing out. I am here.”
Today’s happiness is built from so many different things in each and every moment. From my morning yoga, to the steamy shower, to my time standing on the front porch letting my senses sense the world. I am here, in the Now.
In the Now is where beauty exists.
In the Now is where my happiness exists.
Hello, I am Shelton. 