When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
-Marcus Aurelius
It is honestly too easy to get upset at a ringing alarm, especially when you thought you would get enough sleep the previous night. This morning, as I was snapped from my sleep by the abrupt ringing of my alarm, I had to keep myself from expressing the extreme annoyance I felt at the time. I found that rather than enjoying the new day, I was stuck in a mode that desired the previous night’s sleep. I am generally a morning person, so I can quickly go from sleep mode to wake mode without a long period of grogginess, but this morning and the stresses of the approaching day lead to my temporary lapse in mood. This quote reminds me of what I am being granted with the rising of the Sun, and with the waking of my eyes each morning, I am really being given a privilege to change the world based on how I decide to approach it. When I think about the fact that there are people who are not able, and will not be able to wake up today, it makes it hard for me to actually be annoyed that I have awoken. There is always going to be trials and stress in life, but as with everything, there is no reason to dwell on the bad things, because there is too much to be thankful for in life. Good morning, make sure you enjoy this beautiful day that you have been given, no matter what the circumstances of yesterday may dictate.