When I was younger, some mornings the only thing that would get me out of bed to go to school was the thought of the Lucky Charms cereal that was waiting for me downstairs in the kitchen cabinet.  The images alone of those little rainbow, green clovers, and yellow diamond marhsmallows motivated me to toss my legs over the side of my bed, pull up my body and start my day.

Having never really been a morning person, I still have trouble getting out of bed early  if I don’t have a really compelling reason.   And even on mornings like today, when I have to leave the house by 7am for a meeting, it is far too easy to convince myself that five more minutes of slumber is the best choice.

This morning, thoughts of grinding up my Starbucks Sumatra beans had the Lucky Charms effect: I could see it in my head, smell the dark roast, hear the high-pitched grinder kicking into action.  Like a junkie moving towards her next fix, I moved my feet from under the covers and onto the floor.  My eyes may have stayed closed for the next five minutes, but at least I was awake and out of bed.

I am grateful for the things that wake me up in the morning; its not an easy thing to do.