Slumber

            Today morning, before the light of dawn, the birds chirping, it was as silent as a ghost house and to wake up around 4:30 is a nightmare which I have been experiencing for sometime, do you know why? to overcome my sleep hurdle. You might want to know, what happened to my sleep. Well I can be called the sister of Kumbhakarn. 

           

            If you're an Indian you might know, who Kumbhakarn is, but I'll explain who he is. He is been depicted in the Indian Epic - Ramayan. He is the brother of Ravan, the demon king of Lanka. The specialty of Kumbhakarn is that he sleeps for 6 months continuously and eats for the rest of the year. If I hadn't had a rumbling stomach I'd have gone for the 12 month period one. In a cool climate its soooooo angelic to be sleeping covered cozily in a blanket. When morning comes, a clash of the blanket warmth with the morning frost can be felt so strongly that I just move into my blanket cocoon to avoid my first glimpse of my barren ceiling. This laziness really got to me. I’m always tired, sleepy and started to become bulky, then I knew I had crossed the boundary or in India we call Lakshman Rekha (the line drawn by Lakshmana for Sita (Lord Rama’s wife) in the front yard, if she crosses the line, danger befalls her, but she crossed the line and she fell into danger). Since I crossed the Rekha I knew I’m nose deep in danger. So I took the first step to break the shackles of Laziness, break my daily routine and risk taking the path of ancient sages (According to the Indian culture, one should rise with the sun, take bath and do yoga, prayer or meditation and start your daily chores.)except for the morning bath part. I really fared well. Maybe I might try the bath part after sometime.If this idea had been told one month before, I would have just gone insensible.

            But now I know the perks of getting up early which I would never forfeit for any other thing in the world, the peace and tranquility of the surrounding. The birds asleep , the churches, the temples and the mosques too immersed in silence, awaiting for their morning bell to chime. It’s a half an hour reprieve, where I go through the ritual of finding myself from the previous day’s maze of noise, early morning laziness, relationships, both big and small, thoughts and thoughts and thoughts. Some changes happen, I know not what, but one thing is sure I’m a changed person, nothing gets to my nerves, a prioritization table has formed in my system, a tranquility has been embedded in me, all these and many more, has helped me complete my work without much hassle and hullabaloo. Now I’m alive , you know the alive part of Nescafe advertisement? or you can say Lifebuoy advertisement.

                       

            As I wasn’t an early riser, I had loads of work backlogs. I didn’t have time for anything. I’m always busy and looking very fatigued. I couldn’t reach my target, but now, after I decided to cut my sleep short, anyway take the advice of old time sages. I first did it for 6:30 am. Now I don’t think you’d believe it, I wake up at 4:30am. Now I hear the first bird call. The first rays of the sun, the fresh scent of breeze. Its so refreshing that I get the light spring of youthfulness, which I would not want to miss for anything in this world. The energy of the first born sunrays is revitalizing and it transcends to all my aspects of my life. I see a smile from my family. They have their food in time, the dress ironed, and things all done and up-to-date. Now they have a much more better opinion of me than I would have had, two weeks back.

           

            Can I tell you a secret? I was not planning to wake up at the very first bell and I’m not that type too. I thought I’ll give my body a breathing space. So according to me, I’ll give the first notice at 4.30am and set the alarm for it, snoozed it (a waiting period) for 15 minutes, then one more 15 minutes, then I could drag myself out of my cocoon by 5 or 5:30 or maximum 6am not more than that for sure. But today I woke up on the first bell of the alarm. That is indeed a prize winning, back slapping, sweet sharing act, isn’t it. Me too I feel the same. Since there is no one to give me a prize or a backslap, I just got myself some sweets to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Feed for thought :- if I had chosen I could have gone back to sleep, but God has given me a powerful will, (which I think everybody has it) and a heart to prove and a mind to make it see through the end. I thought I’ll utilize it, well I’ll have to at some point of time. Do you know what my motivating factor is, If man can conquer the Himalayas, if he can step on the moon, then why shouldn’t I start at least for the basics. Its not to prove it to anybody. Its to prove to myself that I’m invincible. TO show myself that If I Set It Then I’ll Get it. So I took two steps today, wake up early and doing the writing. So how can I deny myself the luxury of having been gifted the best day of my life? So I’m entitled for one more sweet, right?

            Hope you too had a very good day. See you tomorrow.

Meena