My alarm goes off at 4:25 during the week and I'm generally up by 4:40. Contrary to popular belief, I don't hop out of bed. Roll is probably a better word. While part of the reason is related to my dogs, I also do it because there is something about the silence of the morning before most people are up (I have found a surprising amount of people up at that time, particularly in their cars, although I have yet to figure out where they are all going). I am not a fan of darkness but there's something to be said for the time before the sun starts its ascent over the Sandia Mountains when all is still dark, yet there is a new day, a new opportunity at life, coming.
A Navajo man once told me that they run in the dawn hours because they believe they should greet the day by "taking our steps." When I learned this, it started to make sense why– as much as I hated to drag myself out of bed at 4:40– I always feel so good- ready to face the day– by the time I'm done running and run-walking the dogs.
It's important to greet our day with more than a roll out of bed and into the shower or to the coffee pot. We should immerse ourselves in the world around us, the outdoors, and give ourselves a chance to reflect on what opportunities are ahead with the new day, a clean slate. After all, it's all about our perspective.