Today is one of those days where I got more than 4 hours of sleep. So I feel much better. Whoever said you needed more sleep is right. I thought they were wrong. I thought I could Keith Richards this shit and just go, go go—burnin’ the candle at both ends, creating and being wild and just going for it—but I realize that the older I get, the more sleep I need.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I still don’t get a full 8 hours. Just can’t. I have to keep one foot in the burn zone. Hustle and all that. So to get about 5-6 hours is a pure luxury. 

Hell, we only have so much time here on earth and I don’t want to remember too much of it being horizontal in a fully loaded bed.

When I say “fully loaded,” I mean, comforter, pillows, sheets, under sheet, bed foam pillow thing that goes over the mattress and maybe a book or two.

And I say fully loaded since my bed includes my wife and black cat, Jim.

Yes, he sleeps with us.

Today I woke up at 6:30 or so and held my wife in bed, touched her cheek and looked into her eyes. Realized how beautiful she was. Gazed into the woman I’ve been sleeping with for over 30 years.

Miracles never cease. Don’t let anyone tell you different. You just have to acknowledge them as miracles. Be aware.

And then my cat came between us and said, “Hey, I want some of this morning lovin’ too…”

So he cuddled and we snuggled. He bit my wife’s nose. Since supposedly that’s how cats kiss. I think it’s just a clever way of getting to bite people’s noses and not get in trouble.

So I try and get sleep. And today I feel good. I’m telling you this because it’s so good to wake up feeling good and not scared and anxious and overtired.

Hell, there’s another day to conquer. To enjoy. To suck the miracle juice from.

And then my mind quickly goes to people struggling. Not waking up to cats and love and kisses with cat bites on noses.

I think about people in Ukraine. Waking up to bombs and homes falling down. Or people in Kentucky getting flooded out.

And I have to reconcile all this beauty with all this terror and destruction.

Do you do the same?

Isn’t it hard to balance the incredible beauty and magic of life with the downright absurd, awful occurrences? All going on at once. A simultaneous charade. A paradox. Irony to the 10^th power.

In the end, I can only love and be present, and spread some form of peace through how I live my life, walk through my day, treat others.

Aaahhh….too heavy.

On a lighter note, I’ve gone two full days without sugar, dairy or gluten.

Why anyone would give up Swiss cheese, sourdough bread and cookies, I don’t know. But I am intuitively feeling that these things are not doing my body good.

There used to be a commercial, a slogan, “Milk does a body good…”

Well, I’m not so sure. It might do a cow’s body good. It might be good for the cow to get rid of the milk to its offspring. I mean, wasn’t that what it was intended for?

(And here he goes gettin’ heavy again…”)

I’ve had my share of pizza and grilled cheeses and quesadillas and cheese enchiladas and all manner of cheese sticks and cheese slices and spreadable cheese on crackers, and maybe it’s time to go dairy-free.

Maybe it will help me live longer. Maybe not.

Death comes when it comes and you better have a suitcase full of miracles and gratitudes ready for the trip.

(This has become way too introspective for my own good…)

The moral of this blog post is about the same it always is:

Enjoy the fruits of your moments. It sometimes sounds trite, but hell, if you can’t wake up, stop your mad mind for a minute and look your loved one in the eyes,

pet your cat,

your beautiful cat’s black fur,

take a moment,

breathe in the fresh morning air,

see the sun slanting golden through your shades,

count your blessings,

stretch your bones

and maybe even sing a little song…

then what are you waking up for?

Another cup of coffee and a ton of bills to pay?