LIVING A GROUNDHOG DAY?...

My feet hit the floor this morning at precisely 7:04. Felt good to sleep in! After the common morning doings, I turned on the bathroom sink faucet for the cat's routine drink fix. (Darn cat won't drink from a bowl!) Grabbing my warm, fleecy robe, wrapping it tightly around me, stepping into my well worn slippers, I walked into the living room, flipped on the fireplace, clicked on the lamp and padded to the kitchen to perk up some essential go get 'em coffee. Automatically my hand reached for the accustomed banana. I stood leaning against the cupboard quietly nibbling on said banana. It started as a little chuckled snort, expanded to a tiny laugh and exploded into uproarious laughter! Good grief! I'm a living groundhog day! Is this what living alone has come to? Simplistic routine with the occasional break when I have to be somewhere in the morning? Someone once told me that as we age, routine becomes part of our identification. Break that routine and life becomes disorganized and fills us with annoyance! I saw that in my grandparents, my parents and even some single or widowed friends, but oh Lord, please don't let that happen to me! But often what we don't realize is that sometimes what we don't want, we get. Just so happens that 'routine' snuck up on me like extra pounds so my jeans don't fit! I suppose routine gives a measure of control to our lives, but really, can I just NOT make my bed as soon as I arise? Can I brew a cup of tea instead of coffee? Can I cook up some brown sugar oatmeal instead of my usual banana and toast? Can I leave my hair a disheveled mess instead of grabbing the brush? Why shouldn't I sit around in my PJ's for awhile instead of jumping in the shower and slapping on some useless makeup? Oh Lord, help me to find the spontaneity in life that fills my life with unexpected joy! I don't want to be predictable and boring. I don't want to settle into a common routine. Yes, there is comfort in routine, but not to the point that my whole life would be upset if I didn't stick to it! Lord, thank you for this vision of my life that can only help me not become the old, crabby lady who falls apart if things aren't exactly in order! Help me to live life a little more loosely, laugh more, reach out more, love more, take more chances and to never give up hope. Does that carpet really need vacuuming today?