Fireplace mornings remind us to slow down. (And that’s a good thing.)
6 analog ways to embrace a slower morning pace.
The morning cabin cold slows me a bit. But I stoop at the hearth, “stripping” newspaper into a nest.
Kindling, a wood slab, a match — moments later flames are sucked up the century-old chimney.
There’s a roaring crackle; the log interior warms.
These Montana mornings remind me of my teenage fire-starting duties.
Back then, my family lived our own version of Little House on the Prairie — albeit on the Canadian border. For two winters, we were suburbanites in frontier mode without electricity, running water, or telephone service.
I was the family heating system.
But in this era, after sparking the hearth, I pull the tea kettle onto an electric stove. I switch on a light to locate a chapter book and awaken our 3rd grader.
Throughout, I’m struck at the analog familiarity of it — recycled rhythms.
Our first hour together is largely unplugged. No laptop. No iPhone. No television. No radio.
And in that quieter, slower, softer hour… The scent of Egg SoHo garlic mixes with Marketspice Tea and wood smoke. We snuggle with our book. And a new chapter of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s story begins.
For a spell before Zoom schooling and virtual client juggling, the two of us are lost in another era.
And the fire crackles.
TAKE ACTION: 6 ways to embrace a slower, analog morning pace.
In this season as cabin-living Covid-refugees in Montana, my family has learned to adopt a rhythm. As I recently shared, in this season it is OK to accept that doing less can actually mean more.
(1) UNPLUG THE MORNING. Ease into the day without the frenzy of morning (bad) news and absorbing screens. There is always time for that later. But now, this morning, try the old world, analog approach.
(2) LIGHT THAT FIRE. Whether a morning hearth or a candle, spark a match and let a calming glow warm your movement.
(3) WARM THE KETTLE. Tea works as well as coffee. There’s something comforting in beginning the day with a warm mug to wrap your hands around. By the time the pot’s boiling, it is time to add larger logs to the fire.
(4) READ A CHAPTER. There’s something calming and gradual about a real book with real pages and real margin notes. So whether it is Little House In The Big Woods with your youngster, some wisdom literature, or a fanciful novel — go one chapter deeper.
(5) JOURNAL A BIT. It isn’t a daily thing, but when it happens, good things result. I love my Monk Manual and the reminders it holds. Let the pencil trace yesterday’s positive memories; outline today’s must do(s).
(6) MAKE A REAL BREAKFAST. An egg or oatmeal is a great way to round out this morning ritual. Really cook real food. It adds some heft and warmth to the day.
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