Rituals

Every morning, I wake up at 4 to nurse Lucia one last time before I leave for work. The actual nursing lasts longer than the time it takes for me to get ready for work, and I'm out the door by 5:15. As I walk towards the gate of our compound, I often see the usual people milling about at that ungodly hour.

As soon as I step out of our building, I look to the left and the same jogger would be passing through. I turn right to go towards the gate, and already the school service is there, waiting patiently for our neighbor from the other building to sleepily board. Just a few more paces till the gate, I see the same old lady in mid brisk walk, always with a hearty "Magandang umaga!" since we always - so always, it's bordering on Twilight Zone proportions - seem to cross paths in such a way that we almost trip into each other.

Such is the automation of my early mornings. I can actually tell when I'm running late when I miss seeing any one of those people on my way out.

The past few days though, I have been ridiculously busy. So busy, in fact, that I've had to ask my husband to bring me to school later than usual. Lucia had been sick with a mild form of measles and I have been beside myself. I haven't been able to sleep well, eat well, do anything well.

Thankfully, this morning I was able to wake up just in time and do all that again. Lucia's on the mend now, so things are picking up. All of those morning elements were at play at again, and I knew I was back in the groove, my daily two-step with Early Morning back in motion. It might seem bizarre, but I did miss them and their unacknowleding acknowledgment that I am still on track, albeit barely.

Ah, but oh my, how the Fates do chuckle at my expense. I feel myself getting more ill as the day progresses. My head feels like it's full of sawdust, my nose is red from sniffling, I sneezed right before saying "good morning" to my kids, and I tripped ever so ungraciously in front of all of them. And it's only 8:27 am.

But no matter. At least I had my ritual this morning. I'm still alive. Albeit barely.

Achoo.