And it’s a good thing!
I think best in the morning, which means I usually write best in the morning–especially if I’ve jotted down some notes the night before. Today isn’t that day. It is practically high noon (7:24 a.m.), the laundry is already working, I’ve eaten breakfast twice, and I sense a headache coming on. My “to-do” list is in the works, making me feel overwhelmed, especially because of what I have yet to add to it. And I didn’t jot down any thoughts last night and, thus, have no real plan for writing today. But it is NaBloPoMo and so I write.
But I usually can blame blogging on my bladder—for that is what wakes me up in the morning. Sometimes 2 a.m., sometimes 3 a.m., sometimes 4 or 5 or 6. It doesn’t seem to matter how tired I am or how early it is, that tiny trip to the bathroom is enough to get my brain whirling, and I can’t go back to sleep.
Not that I don’t try, of course. I lay down and will myself to think of anything but blogging—which focuses me all the more. So I get up and allow myself until my 4:30 wake-up time to blog… and it seems a gift (to me, if not you).
(Although I must say when I see those commercials for catheters, I consider buying one just to get to a full night’s rest. But I’m not that desperate yet. And, no, I am not considering dehydration, either.)
This morning I didn’t even set my alarm. The weekend of working in mother’s house and all the emotions I boxed up with her life collection of belongings, the interactions with her and her confused mind, and the long drive have just plain worn me out. My eyes are just tiny dots in a pale face. I woke up at 5:11, did my usual chores, skipped my usual workout, sent my dear husband off to work, and then sat down to write. First a grocery list, then a to-do list, and, finally, a blog post.
This is my second draft of the day. The first draft is titled “Close your eyes and drink deeply…” It is still a draft. If I close my eyes at this moment, I may snore deeply. I am that tired. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally. (Clearly.)
Though Steven Covey is famous for the saying “Sharpen your saw,” the idea is really biblical. King Solomon said:
If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed” … (Ecclesiastes 10:10).
The idea is that a sharp saw or a sharp axe makes cutting easier and faster. Abraham Lincoln, too, has a related saying: “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.” Today is a day for axe sharpening. Today is a day for taking a little time for myself and my family, to regroup, to replenish supplies, and to re-clean! For tomorrow I go back to work…
When I got back from my mother’s late yesterday, my husband had me read an article in the local newspaper about a local writer who has published a couple e-novels through Amazon. It makes me wonder what a pleasure it must be to have only writing on my “to-do” list. Perhaps one day that will be me—although I definitely want to write novels grand enough to require paper as well as digital versions.
But today, that is not my pleasure. I have laundry to do, groceries to buy, a house to clean, meetings and lessons to plan for the upcoming week. My bladder let me sleep a little longer today; my blog probably paid the price.
Let the sharpening begin!
All Things Work Together 
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