I love my Monday morning routine. At first it started as a list of things I had to, needed to get done, strategically organized in the most time and least tantrum inducing (for young and old alike) manner. It is still the same steps, still in the same order, but now I am so used to it I can savor the little moments within. It has become a ritual, allowing me presence and peace. Safety, and comfort.

Like this: wake up at 6:30, freewrite for 5 minutes, meditate for 5 minutes, pick a mantra for the day. Something to return to when my focus leaves me. A reminder of how quiet the house was, then. Write that down. Review my calender and to-do’s for the day. Put coffee on. Use to be blue bottle, then, 3 years ago I switched to Ritual. Now it is de la paz: the 24th St or Mission St blends, depending on my mood. It is expensive, but worth it: my last vice, my first ritual. Read a blog or two (Soulemama and the Sartorialist are nice for starting the day). Check my email.

I make the coffee in a Moka pot. I pour it into a big tall mug when it is ready and add cold-from-the-fridge Strauss 2%, from a glass bottle, the type with a cream top.
I drink the coffee alone, and slowly; without food I mean. My husband usually gets out of bed when the coffee is ready, poured, and sometimes my son gets up then,too. If he is still sleeping, I read the NY Times. When he gets up, we eat breakfast, this morning marmalade muffins, adapted from here, and smoked salmon, while my husband rushes out the door. We play a game or too, then I shower, drink a glass of water, take my vitamins(I used to do this at night, but changed to a.m. this year and really am able to sleep better), brush teeth, get dressed. Then our neighbor drops his son off, my son gets dressed, I pack snacks, and we hit the road for the park, and music class.

Other days I sleep in, or go to yoga, or the gym, but really my whole week is off if I don’t meditate and set intentions on Monday. Perhaps I should try to do it everyday? Maybe just adding one day at a time?
For now, I am grateful for the comfort this ritual brings me, the quiet moments to both plan and reflect, my bedrock for the week.