My Favorite Time of Day
4:38…
4:39…
4:40.
Taylor Swift’s voice
gently rouses me
out of a deep sleep.
I quickly slide
out of bed and
change into my running clothes
before I am alert enough
to think rationally
and climb back under the covers.
I
silently
creep
down
the
stairs,
not bothering to turn on the lights.
Mindlessly
I wiggle my feet
into my shoes,
tie them in a double knot,
stick my earbuds in my ears,
and find Pandora
on my phone.
I adjust my headband
over
my earbuds and
under
my ponytail,
grab my gloves
and head out the door.
The cold air
takes my breath away.
I pull up my Nike app,
hit “Start Run”,
and clumsily shove my phone into my back pocket.
It’s dark and peaceful.
Just the way I like it.
I settle into a comfortable pace
and get lost in my thoughts.
As I pass under the streetlights
by Riverside Park,
I become aware
of how cold I am.
Eager to get home
and jump in a hot shower,
I pick up the pace.
As I round the last corner,
I am greeted
by the soft pink hue
of the eastern sky.
Karen Hovie
March 2013
