Routines keep me going when things get hectic and occasionally overwhelming. Monday mornings especially, are driven by routine to get me up and out of the door and ready for my day. Getting in exercise when I feel like I’m just too busy, is helped by the routine of walking at lunch and snowshoeing after school. But one of my favorite routines isn’t to help me stay task-driven- it is to help me STOP.

Weekend mornings I grab my cup of coffee and make my way to the couch.  All I need to do is sit…and they come! The snuggle brigade. I have two cats and two small dogs and they all vie for a spot on my lap. My only “task” is to keep my coffee from splashing on all of us.

At first it is a flurry of furry activity, but as I wait they each settle in and find a spot on, beside, or behind me. The dogs sigh a deep cleansing breath.  The cats curl their paws in and close their eyes. I am “trapped”.  I can’t DO.  I can only BE.  It is only when that coffee cup needs refreshing that I even contemplate a move. Even then, I don’t worry because upon my return from the kitchen, process repeats itself.

And so I savor this Sunday morning with my fur babies. I can’t imagine life without my calming critters.