On a recent trip to Florida with my husband John’s side of the family, I was enjoying a relaxing conversation with my brother-in-law, Ron. I can’t remember our topic at the time, but one thing he asked completely surprised me.
“You’re a morning person, right?” My eyebrows scrunched in confusion.
“Me? No, not really.” I replied.
“But you’re always up before everyone else,” Ron countered. I began to think about his statement.
Up until my early 30s, when I became a mom, I was the Queen of Sleeping In. I wouldn’t necessarily stay up super-late, but it wasn’t unusual for me to sleep in until 9 or later on the weekends.
Motherhood certainly changed all that for a while, but once my boys got older and began to sleep in themselves, I went back to my habits. Then came menopause … where sleep in general was elusive.
Thankfully I conquered that and other issues, but gone were the days of sleeping past 9. In fact, sleeping until 8 became my new “sleeping in” time. And now I don’t even go that long.
I’m fortunate that I don’t have to set an alarm on the weekdays and have a consistent bedtime and wake time now. As long as the sun’s up, I’m happy to be awake in the morning, normally by 7 currently.
If someone would have told me as a young adult that I’d eventually become a morning person, I would have laughed. I doubt I’ll ever be one of those 5 a.m. people, but I do like the quiet start to my days.
We change on so many levels at every stage of our life. I was telling an old friend of mine recently that I love being in my 50s. I’m open to trying new things and gaining unique experiences.
Take mushrooms, for example. No, not that kind. Like portobello or shiitake. I couldn’t stand eating them as a kid – the texture was repulsive to me. But since I don’t eat meat now, I’ve discovered they’re in a lot of vegetarian dishes. I began to eat them by accident, and after realizing that I didn’t die from doing so, I learned that I like them now.
With that and the earlier mornings, John’s starting to wonder if I’m really his wife or just some sort of impostor.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with the saying, “The only consistent thing in life is change.” Most people probably think this applies to the occurrences in our lives, not necessarily themselves. But we are always changing as people – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
If we fight this, we may make our lives harder. By embracing our changes at different stages, we can experience new and wonderful things … like sunrises vs. just sunsets … the chirping of the birds in the morning stillness … and, yes, portobello mushroom burgers.
What changes can you welcome today?
Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs, and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.