This time of morning is so peaceful. I sit in the dark with a cup of coffee and listen to the sounds of my life.
A soft snore from the bedroom, thankful he wakes up in my bed. A dog tag jingle, I know she is keeping Troy’s feet safe.
The hum of the fan overhead, circulating the cool air from the air conditioner.
There was a time I had to spray water into the swamp cooler to keep my childhood home not so hot in the Oklahoma summer, then turning the hose on myself to cool down.
I hear an occasional truck speed past, that road has taken beloved fur babies from me.
The clunk of the ice machine. I remember a day I had to pull back a frozen aluminum lever to make cubes and get in trouble for not filling them back up.
Another sip of coffee. Not like my mom made when I was young, it was more dessert with sweetened milk and buttered toast to dip. I miss her. And that buttery coffee.
I see the outline of a huge television that I know receives more channels than I will watch in a lifetime with 3 remotes and a satellite connection. Very unlike that floor model with an antenna wrapped in foil that had 3 choices and cartoons only on Saturday morning.
I can see all the red, green and white lights from electronic devices glow in the dark. Hungry eyes stealing your time away from buttery coffee, water hoses and Saturday morning cartoons.
I had it all back then. Simple, clean, pure.
I have it all now. I just have to be sure not to lose it enjoying modern technology.
Excuse me while I go find a water hose.
Lorene Wood 2019