POSTS

AWAKENED IN THE MORNING

January 28, 2026

THE MORNING

(LOOKING AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY)

Each morning, I am awakened, despite my strong desire to get more sleep. I am awakened in the morning by my Mother getting up just before the crack of dawn for her coffee.

And I don’t like to be awakened.

Since I began this Caregiving journey, the one thing that I have hated the most is my inability to get any rest. None.

I have tried to explain to my Mother, who has woken me up every day of my life that I spent in her household, my need for sleep to no avail.

This morning, I decided to look at things differently.

First of all, this is the woman who woke us kids up to the loud sounds of her accompanying the band Chicago singing, “Does Anybody Really know what time it is,” early Saturday morning. That being the case why would I expect anything different now?

On weekdays, she used to have a clock radio which went off at 6AM shouting the time and the weather along with a Top 40 song. And the Top 40 songs at that time were unbearable in their time.

I am upset because she wakes up at that hour with seemingly nothing important to do. Nothing important in my mind; however, I usually find her reading while enjoying her coffee and a light breakfast she gets for herself. A breakfast that I prepared and set up the night before.

Looking at things differently, I remember when I used to read and was anxious to get back to see what the characters had been up to since the last page. I used to be an avid reader myself before Caregiving.

And then of course there is the morning news. I am finding that elderly people seem obsessed with what is going on in the world. Me not so much as Caregiving occupies most of my worldly thoughts and I have zero interest in the current crop of Newscaster’s views or opinions on what’s happening. Especially since these days, almost 100% of all news is Fake News and the legitimate news reporters have turned to Podcasts and Substack.

Looking at the shouts of the morning show hosts differently, perhaps watching the news expands my Mother’s world. Especially since her world has gotten smaller.

My Mom’s early morning arrival may be to experience the Joy of the Biblical promise, “Joy comes in morning!” as early as humanly possible.

Perhaps I might experience some of that Joy if I didn’t wake up crying, resentful, scared, worried or angry. A Joy that I believe that I would feel if I wasn’t awakened.

And there it is…Awakened.

I am awakened by a woman who enjoys an early morning cup of coffee. She insists on finding out what is going on in the world before this part of the world is alive, alert and about to make more news. My Mother begins reading within an hour of getting up to enter into John Grisham’s, Stephen King’s or David Baldacci’s world of make believe.

Some days she has places to go and people to see—at least 2-3 times per week. Perhaps she is excited to get those days started.

I don’t know.

But instead of waking up thinking, “I hate to be awakened,” perhaps I will do my best to look at things differently.

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy and wise.”

My Mother may wake up at the crack of dawn each day because she is grateful that she gets another day. And she doesn’t know how many days she has left. The same could be said for all of us.

I believe that if God gives you another day, He has continued plans for your life. Looking at things differently, God allows my Mother to wake me up because He has plans for my day. Surely God knows how I feel about being awakened.

Therefore, I need to be Thankful that I am awakened each and every day. I must wake up with anxious expectations for the day ahead. Even when I wake up as a Caregiver. Especially when I wake up as a Caregiver because one day I will not wake up as my Mom’s Caregiver. And I wonder how I will feel then?

Especially since, my Mother has woken me up every day that I have fallen asleep in her house.

Does Anybody Really Know What time it is…

Does Anybody really care about Time.

Today is another day. And we don’t know how many days we have left.

“Good Morning Mommy.”