Long ago I read an interesting concept. The author claimed that all of us awaken with one question foremost in our minds. For some of us, the question is: What day is this? For others, the question is: Where am I? I have no idea if this is true, and I’ll confess that I often wondered a bit about the Where-am-I? sort of people, but I can testify that I’m definitely a What-day-is-this? sort.
I almost always wake up a bit groggy. I get plenty of sleep, but my morning mind is full of cobwebs. It takes an hour or so—and a full complement of caffeine—before I’m fully functional, mentally speaking.
While I was employed, it was my habit to awaken and stretch in the bed, not arising until I had figured out what day it was and what major task/challenge/ordeal it would likely have in store. It seemed I needed a mental bracing for the day before I could let my feet hit the floor.
Now that I’m retired I still face the same question each morning, but the scenario has altered slightly. Now I go ahead and rise first, stagger into the kitchen and punch the coffee pot’s “on” button, and stagger into the bathroom. Somewhere in the next few minutes, my mind finally stumbles across the “What day is this?” question.
And now the question comes in a slightly altered form, appended with the phrase “…and does it matter?” Often the answer is “No, it doesn’t matter at all.” And I like it that way.