Chapter 1: The Morning Routine

On Sundays, I often find myself feeling unmotivated after 11 AM.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Mornings aren’t my strong suit; I tend to avoid scheduling anything until the afternoon. By the time I finally shower, it’s usually noon, and I might have been awake for a couple of hours. During that time, I often browse Medium articles, sort through countless emails, and check Facebook for any engaging updates from friends.

However, Sunday mornings are different. I wake up early because I have a commitment: I attend church. Although I haven’t been a regular churchgoer in decades (aside from special occasions), I now have a compelling reason to go. My older cousin's son serves as the minister at the church I attend, and I genuinely appreciate his sermons and prayers. Plus, after the service, I get to chat with my two cousins—this is the only opportunity I have to see them, given the distance.

You see, the church is over 13 hours away, as are my cousins. Thank goodness for ZOOM!

The service kicks off at 9:15 AM, prompting me to rise by 8:30. I splash some water on my hair (the bed head can be quite alarming) and throw on my bathrobe. I prepare a glass of fruit juice, take my morning medication, and set up my tea for later. Then, it’s time to log on.

Just imagine attending church in your bathrobe! No need for makeup or choosing an outfit—just roll out of bed and, quite literally, ZOOM into the service. While there’s a live congregation, sometimes the online attendance surpasses that of those in the building due to the unpredictable weather.

One of the amusing aspects is singing hymns while on “mute.” This isn’t a personal choice; everyone is muted during the singing. We can, however, listen to the in-person attendees. With the lyrics displayed on the screen, we have all we need—it’s a tad amusing, though, as being muted feels somewhat impolite. Nevertheless, I doubt anyone would enjoy my morning vocal performance.

After the service, Andy (the minister) kindly places my cousins and me in a separate chat room, allowing us to see and hear each other once we unmute ourselves. It’s been over two years since I last visited the North, so reconnecting with them is a real joy. I almost didn’t recognize my younger cousin at first, especially with her long, completely white hair—she used to be the only brunette in the family. My older cousin's computer gives her an odd orange tint, leading to some amusing comparisons.

And just like that, it’s 11 AM, and the best part of my day has come to an end. Last Sunday, I hopped in the car and drove four and a half hours to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Next week, I’ll be at my son’s and daughter-in-law’s home to celebrate my youngest grandson’s 9th birthday.

But typically, Sundays are quite tranquil. I can immerse myself in a book or take a nap—often, I do both, sometimes dozing off until my head meets the pages. Meanwhile, Dave is usually in front of the TV watching sports; occasionally, I join him, recline in my chair, and “watch” alongside him, often drifting off for an hour or so. I’m such a huge fan of sports.

In the past, Sundays were filled with grading papers and prepping for the workweek ahead. Those days are long gone. Now, my focus is on reaching 200 articles on Medium—only two more to go after this one.

Shout out to Art Bram, just because.