I rise around 0500 six out of seven mornings and am awake before my girl-person. I tip-toe around the house feeling my way in the dark ensuring I'm as quiet as can be so as not to wake her and get myself prepared for a run and some exercising. I arrive home around 0630 or so, have a shower and get dressed and around 0700 flick the kettle on and start thinking about breakfast and coffee; that's about when my girl begins to stir and before long she's out of bed and beginning her day.
It's not much fun, I mean when compared to staying in bed and sleeping in, or cuddling or...whatever.
We fell into the routine some time ago when I decided I wanted to lean on my physical fitness and overall health and wellbeing and in order to fit it all into my day, I've got to be up before sunrise and into it. I don't mind, the results are solid and pushing into the day in this way means I'm more alert and ready to slay it, figuratively speaking of course. But I miss laying in bed, cuddling and...whatever.
We tend to lay in on Sundays, but it isn't the most epic of sleep-ins that ever was; come 0800 we're awake. The cuddling and whatever is good though, so no complaints there.
We are hard working people, we've had to be to push forward in life, and focus on presence in the obligations we have, being present I mean, and seeing things done well and as best we are able. However we know when to stop and rest, to find moments of peace, solitude, fun and enjoyment and to relax.
We also actively work on finding time to be present for each other, to say a kind word, touch physically and emotionally and to be kind, giving and tender with the other. We believe it to be important to connect in that way often, far more important than the once-a-year concept of Valentines day or a birthday that's for sure. Anyway, in light of my early-up situation six days a week I decided to implement: Mission breakfast in bed on Sunday's.
I'm going to be totally honest and say it's not a full breakfast in bed scenario with bacon and eggs, grilled chorizo, toast, sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomato, wilted baby spinach, hash brown, orange juice and coffee...just cereal or toast, a bagel or crumpet with marmalade or Vegemite and tea or coffee. I don't get any complaints though.
I wake up and cuddle a bit...and whatever, then off I go to prepare breakfast bringing it back into bed where we sit up and eat, chat and sip tea or coffee. We talk about what's coming up for the day and holidays, gardening, drives in the country, picnics, places we've been and want to go, things we've done in the past and things we'd like to do. We don't talk about work, the household budget, general problems or anything that isn't light and happy. It's our time to connect and to show each other a little tenderness of heart.
This small moment, thirty minutes or so, is a little moment I created to add a layer to the Sunday sleep-in and to do something nice for my girl-person who works hard and has much on her mind all the time. It's the least I could do to give her that moment of care, attention and peace and she loves it, especially so because part of the tender moment is me cleaning up afterwards, doing the dishes and all. It's amazing the effect that one simple task has on a woman when we do it fellas. Trust me, give it a try.
I wonder if others do such things for the people they care about. Do you?
How do you go about showing a little tenderness and care for your partner? Are they small things like mine above, do you focus on creating the smaller moments more often or opt to hold out for one event such as Valentines day? Maybe you're the one being shown the tenderness and if so in what ways does your partner do so? Feel free to comment below if you feel inclined.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default; tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind - galenkp
[All original and proudly AI free.]
Any images in this post are my own.