My late husband taught me to enjoy Sunday mornings and his mother taught me the art of lounging before rushing off to start the day.
Before I met my late husband, I don’t ever recall staying in bed even for a short period of time before jumping up and out each morning. I don’t know what I was always in such a rush to do, especially on Sunday mornings. Glenn changed this for me, forever.
Early on in our romance Glenn would run out on Sunday mornings to buy the New York Times. He would always tell me to stay in bed until he returned. Within 20 minutes he would be back with a fresh cup of coffee from my favorite place and oftentimes with red roses in hand. He’d always get back in bed with me, we’d either watch one of those Sunday morning shows that end with those beautiful nature scenes or we’d listen to the local jazz radio station while he read the paper and me a book.
We’d then move this scene to our backyard where we’d continue this lounging for the day if we didn’t head to the beach.
About a year into our romance Glenn took me to New York to meet his family. I’ll never forget how his mom would do the same. She even told me so, “It’s important to take time each morning for you. I like to lay in bed and read gossip magazines before I start my day, so I know my life isn’t so bad.” I remember lounging with his mom in her cozy living room for hours each morning, pajamas still on, fire in the fireplace, fresh coffee in hand and her magazines. I knew where Glenn got this from.
“Sunday mornings are a gift,” Glenn always said. “Taking time for you to just relax, read, meditate or just do nothing helps prepare us for what comes next.”
When Glenn died suddenly in 2013, my life changed in an instant but one thing that has not changed and most likely never will, is the art of lounging on Sunday mornings. Glenn taught me this, he learned this from his mother who told me she learned this from her father. Take time each Sunday morning to do something for you. And that “something,” should be “doing nothing of consequence.”
As I write this blog post on this Sunday I am lying in bed, coffee in hand, the local jazz station playing in the background. I think of how my mother-in-law and late husband taught me to art of lounging. This gift they gave me that keeps on giving. I have a tough week ahead and this “me time,” will and does help me with what comes next. Give it a try.
