It’s 5:50 a.m. on a Monday morning. I got up at 3:45 a.m.

This new early morning routine is down to one thing – the pull of the water. This summer I’ve become hooked on swimming in the open water. A positive side effect of the pools closing has been discovering how much fun it is to swim freely without the boundaries of lane markers, change rooms, schedules, and chlorine.

But, I’m not swimming right now. I got up with a plan to swim. A lingering threat of lightening and a feeling of fatigue have kept me home. Going back to bed is not an option for me. Once I’m up – I’m up.

And in typical fashion, I wish I’d gone swimming. I know I’ll look at the photos from the beach and think “ah, I should have gone”. But I know the front porch and the early morning quiet is the right choice.

Here’s Tom’s photo of the view I missed earlier this morning:

A subtle tiredness washed over me last night as I fought the “head droops” while trying to watch a movie at 7:00 p.m. I was in bed by 8:00 p.m.

Old me would have gone swimming, ignoring the fatigue and this deep sensation of not feeling “great”. Some days I miss the old me – the one who pushed through workouts no matter what, had huge goals to propel me forward, and a deep sense of unfinished business.

The new me is trying to slow down the pace. I’m still active and staying busy but with a different purpose. Pure enjoyment and satisfaction. Being fully in the ride, swim, or moment and actually experiencing it. Letting go of the need to always do a long ride on Saturdays or to get in that weight workout when I’d rather be reading or to have a schedule that kept me ticking and regular.

Nadine’s photo of the morning that I missed (but will enjoy tomorrow):