Time Travel

The problem with running at 5:30AM is that no matter how relaxed and refreshed I feel immediately afterwards, by the end of the day, I just want to do it again to keep from choking the shit out of someone.

Then, as anger rises like a boiling tide within me, I take myself back in time: alone in the pre-dawn world, sweaty and breathing hard. The robins are singing their wake-up songs, the roosters are crowing their wake-up calls; but I'm already wide awake. The well-earned steam comes off my sweatshirt in the cold, crisp, clear early Spring air. My breath makes little clouds [a "smoke ring" if I'm feeling especially playful] as I gasp for air before taking a deep pull on my slushy water bottle just as it begins to freeze.

I take a few deep inhales, through my nose as always, return to the present and I'm okay.

Zen.