It's always interesting to go out for a walk early on a Saturday morning.
The first thing I notice is a man sitting on his stoop. A DoorDash driver pulls up and hands him Subway.
Subway is open at 5:30 in the morning?
Apparently, somebody is making sandwiches, somebody is delivering them, and somebody is sitting on his stoop waiting to eat one.
Then I notice the delivery driver's companion: a big, white, fluffy dog in the back seat. He looks happy, panting with his tongue out, riding along for the morning deliveries. My dog looks at him. He looks at my dog. A little Saturday morning acknowledgment, and we go on our way.
An easy Saturday.
At least, that's what I'm hoping for.
There's a trip to the coffee shop while my wife's car gets serviced. Some coffee. Some journaling. A chance to work through my various frustrations and let the week settle a little.
I'm also trying to go twelve hours without my phone, then hopefully another twelve. Giving my brain a chance to rest sounds good. Actually leaving the phone alone takes a little more effort.
But I want to see what happens when I give myself that space. Less scrolling. Less checking. Some time to sit with my coffee and whatever ends up on the journal page.
Later, I'll take my son to his homecoming dance. There's a movie in the plans, too, which requires a little parental scheduling: can I get out of the theater around the same time his dance ends?
Even an easy Saturday takes some coordination.
And somewhere in all of this, I'm trying to recover from a long, hard week. Each week seems to bring another set of things to work through. By Saturday, I'm ready for a slower pace.
The ordinary things help. Walking the dog. Getting coffee. Writing a few thoughts down. Taking my son somewhere he wants to go. Sitting in a movie theater for a couple of hours.
The frustrations may still be there when Monday comes. This morning, though, there's time for a walk, and there's a big, fluffy dog happily helping somebody deliver Subway before sunrise.
That seems like a decent place to start.
What ordinary thing helps your week settle?
Here, I made this. My gift to you, for taking the time to read.