Looking back...

on those days when I woke up late, running short on time, rushing to get everything together, just making it to work on the dot...

and having to bathe and dress my husband, feed him breakfast and see to his medications before rushing off to work full-time...

those days my ability to come up with creative solutions or innovative approaches really was diminished. Especially if on the way to work I listened to the news, all the bad and evil stuff in the world first thing in the day.

It was as though everything had jangled together and I was constantly rushing from one task to another, not quite ready for anything. Definitely not conducive to creativity, and all day I continued to feel as though I was playing catch up.

After my husband went into VA assisted living, I arrived at a routine that much improved my day. Getting up 15 minutes earlier than the absolute last minute allowed me to mumble around. Not Neatherthal Man, but Meanderthal Woman. I could dress leisurely, have a cup of coffee, let my brain wander where it would.

I found myself making connections for solutions, imagining possibilities where there were none apparent the day before, experiencing insights into knotty problems. It's as though my brain had time and space to rummage around and get creative.

One of the nicest things about retirement is that I can be like that every morning. As much as for anything else, I am grateful for the time to get up when I'm awake and face the day when I'm ready.

Breathe. Imagine. Be present.