I usually make coffee first thing in the morning. The caffeine's great but, honestly, I do it for the ritual.
Not today, though.
Instead of making coffee when I got up, I zipped up my blue puffy jacket with the patch by its collar and walked straight into the sub-zero morning air. Immediately, my nostrils stung and my eyes started to water. It was the type of bright and clear cold where the snow squeaked with every step I took.
My truck yelped when I started it, and I couldn't hold the leather steering wheel without my gloves on. It felt like frozen metal, and all I could think of was the scene from Dumb & Dumber when Jeff Daniels gets his tongue stuck to the ski lift. While waiting for the heat to get going, I remembered how my mom would shake her head when I'd quote some obscure movie reference as a kid. I don't know how or why my brain does that, but I've done it my whole life.
I felt a sort of self-satisfied grin appear on my face as I took off to go get coffee. Pulling out of the driveway, snow squawking its encouragement, I realized things felt different today. It's not like going out for coffee instead of making it was some big revelation or anything. But, as I drove, I noticed I felt peppy instead of like I was plodding along. And I hadn't really even noticed that I'd been plodding to begin with.
How long was I doing that?
After parking, I strolled up the steps to the door and heard the bell ding when I pulled it open. I was ready for a change. Or awake enough to notice a necessary interruption, at least.
When's the last time you had an "ah-hah" moment? What triggered it?
If you know someone who'd appreciate this, pass it along. And if something stuck with you while reading, I'd love to know what it was.
onward.
For more on this daily column and The MAP Year Project, read the backstory here.