aggieWho doesn’t like a routine?  Everyone does, I just know it.  You’d have to be a little off, “normal” not to.  Now before you get pictures of dancers tip toeing on a stage before you or a cheer squad bringing you to your feet for your team, the routine I’m talking about is much more comforting than chaotic.  Yeppers, the routine I’m talking about is the normal everyday stuff of life that help us keep control of our sanity.  Funny thing is, I know exactly who to blame for much of my routine.  Actually, as much blame as I give the man for love of my routine, I have to give him credit for my palate and acquired appreciation for the fine black beverage of breakfast time.  OK so most people call it, coffee.

I had just turned 16 and Gene Kindle sensed it was time to educate me on the fine beverage.  It had to have been just a couple of years ago (OK, maybe a few longer than two), on that Saturday night that he showed me the procedure to produce the black gold of the morning.  The steps were to be adhered to with precision and allegiance to coffee aficionados alike.  Water went to the line on the side in the pot, the manual timer adjusted and plugged in, four scoops of coffee poured in the metal cup, lid placed back on and turned to its locking position, brewing machine slid back to where it belonged and two white (they had to be white) coffee cups in front awaiting their turn at delighting their user.  He repeated the lesson a few nights till I had it down, he trusted me to make the coffee. You know what?  Now that I think about it, maybe all that was his way of getting out of setting the coffee to brew for the next day.  Huh!  But anywho it was Gene who taught me the art of coffee making and the appreciation of the fine beverage.  To this day, there is no finer drink!

What I don’t think he realized he was teaching me or maybe instilling in my, was an appreciation of a routine.  Gene was a man of routine, make the coffee the night before to wake and enjoy it before anything else the next day.  That little routine start of the day was his way of beginning his day.  And all these years later as is mine.

Why tell you this?  Because as much as I love my routine and you yours (some more than others), don’t miss it!  You can, you know.  You….I mean, I, can get so caught up in my routine that I miss the opportunity to enjoy the little things in life.  Just today (and boy was it busy) I found myself stuck looking at a precious little baby girl, thinking about my nephew just born the other day and my grandson a few months ago, a little since of urgency almost overwhelmed me.  However, I didn’t budge.  I kept looking at Ellie and talked to her mom a little more before moving on.

So therein lies this month’s blog assignment.  The next time you do something in your “routine” of life, stop and find something to appreciate or admire.  Don’t let the busyness of today make you miss the blessing of today.  It might be interesting to see what might happen to us!