An Ode To Quiet Monday Mornings

My alarm hums gently while I ease out of sleep and open my eyes. My room is filled with grey light and, through my blurry vision, I can see my curtain blowing in the slow breeze. It’s Monday. And my alarm is still going off, so I turn it off and put on my glasses.

I have to leave for work in 30 minutes, but the thought of the coffee machine in my office is luring me out of bed and into the bathroom to get ready.

I get dressed in silence most mornings. Today is more of the same–the only noises I hear are the shuffling of my feet across the hardwood floors, the ruffling of my sheets as I make my bed, and the friction of my toothbrush against my teeth.

I leave for work right on time, placing one headphone in my right ear as usual, so I can always hear the traffic on my left side. I start my slow, 30-minute walk to the office. Like most mornings, I stroll along the same sidewalk, cross the same intersections, and even listen to the same voices on a favorite podcast. As I approach my office, I begin to think about the tasks ahead.

First, I’ll put my bag down and put my lunch in the fridge. Then, I’ll turn on the coffee machines and fill them with water. Then I’ll make some breakfast–whatever I have leftover from last week. I have to go grocery shopping tonight.

The office is completely silent, except for the whir of the air conditioning and the muttering of computers that were left on all weekend. I turn on a light and let it blink itself into the day while I begin my next morning routine.

I plug in the coffee machine, place my favorite variety of coffee in its place, and wait for it to heat up while I stir some honey into my plain yogurt. After, I select my favorite mug and place it under the coffee dispenser. I am a sucker for great mugs and I have a history with this one. It’s a small, red mug with no pattern or writing on it. I’m drawn to its smooth shape, which fits perfectly in my hand. My coffee is ready. I walk it over to my desk and turn on my computer.

I take a deep breath. Soon, my office will be completely filled with the sounds of typing and weekend synopses. I only have a few minutes to myself.

Another Monday. Let’s do this.

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