Morning Has Broken

It seems that over the past ten years or so, I’ve become a morning person.

Hey, no one is more surprised by this phenomena than I am - with the exception perhaps of my parents, who no doubt remember none too fondly the chore of dragging my sorry arse out of bed on school mornings or for church on Sundays.

The older I get, the more I seem to appreciate the quiet the mornings offer and the peace and tranquility that they provide.

It’s “my” time - to think, reflect, slowly embrace the day, set my intentions, or move around with purpose.

It’s become a part of my daily routine and I think in large measure it’s due to the fact that in that 10-year time span, I started running 3 mornings a week. I get up to run before my head and body realize what I’m doing. Plus, there’s a small crowd of like-minded folks in our little town who are also out there at “the crack of crow piss and sparrow fart” who get their bodies moving by pounding the pavement. It’s pretty reinforcing. In so doing, we solve a lot of our own inner turmoil and maybe even a fraction of the world’s problems before the rest of the world awakens.

On days I’m not running, like this one, it’s just nice to have a few moments at the kitchen table or out in the field behind our home with the dog to feel the cool air and watch the sun come up.

I don’t have to be anywhere today before 8am, but I was wide awake and ready to greet the day this morning at 530. I can’t say that I jumped right out of bed, but I did slowly make my way to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee and light a candle on the kitchen stove. It’s my own little ritual to greet the day.

As I sat down and turned on my phone to see what’s new on social media, I was met with the news of the passing of Matthew Perry. I won’t lie - I didn’t know the man, but the news set me back on my heels a bit.

Strangely, with everything else going on in the world, it’s this loss that prompts me to put pen to paper today.

Our little town has seen some bad news these past couple of weeks - terrible tales of tragedy and loss. But our community comes together to offer help and support. It’s a blessing in a small town and I think it’s a characteristic of the region we call home. We may (think we) know each others business (the good, the bad, and the ugly), but we also show up to lend a hand and pick each other up. These past several days have been testaments to that - from testimonials and tributes to fundraisers and casseroles, Maritimers are doing what they can to lessen the burden and promote healing.

So in light of the recent local hardships and travesties, why was I so struck by the loss of a celebrity, of a well-known actor whose personal life has become fodder and speculation for entertainment shows and social media?

Although I didn’t know him personally, I think it’s because there is still a sense of familiarity. Like so many others, I indirectly invited him into my home on a regular basis - first by watching Friends every week in the late 90’s and early 2000s and then again by re-watching it on Netflix or through syndication. His character, Chandler Bing, made us laugh or cry or somehow feel a little bit lighter - like a friend would.

Matthew Perry had his struggles, just as we too each have our own personal demons, trials, and tribulations.

I hope he found some measure of peace before he passed, just as I hope his friends and loved ones also find some measure of peace with his passing.

I hope they have the benefit of a community of support, just as we have here in our little town.

And I hope we all at some stage in the week ahead find blessings in a few moments of quiet and tranquility that an early morning brings… before the rest of the world wakes up and introduces its challenges.