I wake up as the sun is just starting to rise and stumble to make coffee.  I sit quietly, silently waiting for the dripping to stop. I put a spoonful of honey into an old chipped coffee mug that I remember my dad sipping out of when I was a kid and then pour my coffee on top.

I tiptoe my way to the porch where I make myself comfortable in a creaky old wooden rocker and slowly stir my coffee, clinking my spoon against the mug. Through the clinking, I can hear the birds chirping to welcome the new dawn. I can see the sun rising over the trees, casting a warm glow over the rippling waves on the lake.

The noises of nature outside are suddenly being combined with those of pitter-pattering feet on the wood floors inside. Groggy, messy haired kids stumble out of their bedrooms looking for mom. They know where to find me. Each one with their own routine. She, who climbs into my lap to rub my ears and tell me about her dreams. He, who finds a book and a blanket to curl up with in my arms.

It doesn’t take long before they’re both really awake and racing around giggling and playing. Our day goes on pretty much the same as all the others.The days tend to blend together here. With nowhere to go, it’s easy for that to happen. One of the best parts of it is losing track of what day it is. What day is today? Another day of swimming for hours, kayaking alongside a family of loons, enjoying the miracles of nature with each passing moment.

As the day winds down, there are hugs and kisses and stories. Saying goodnight to the moon. Then sleep.

When the cottage is all quiet again, I curl up on the same porch and watch the same sun glow, this time on the other side of the lake and this time ducking behind the trees instead of peeking up over them.  I listen to the same waves lapping against the shore.  The crickets chirp, the whippoorwill says goodnight, a loon calls in the distance to it’s mate that it’s time for sleep.

This is simplicity. Life, stripped of pretentiousness, chaos, stuff, competition, and stress.  I tell myself that all days should be like this. I may not always be in the same place with the same routine, but I know I want to hold onto the feelings of peace, serenity, joy, appreciation, and wonder through all of my days.