Actually made it out of my spot on the couch this morning to sit on my cushion by the hearth. When I sit upright with a straight, relaxed spine, I'm definitely more awake in my practice. Still, without the support of sitting with others, I find it hard to even get to the cushion. 

Despite my determination to sit before starting my day, out of habit, I walk out to pick up the Sunday paper. I fill my fresh mind with headlines about war and guns and violence. Mistake. Then, I hit the cushion. Following my breath, I drop in for moments of stillness; soon interrupted by thinking mind: SuperBowl Sunday. Hum? Ravens or 49ers? Planning mind: Food for the day, the week. Worried mind: Will I finish my writing deadline? 

I'm frustrated with myself, my inability to settle down. But, I stay anyway, returning to the breath each time I notice and name a distraction. I imagine I'm in the gym of my mind, strengthening muscles and synaptic connections I don't exercise often enough. 

I use a loving-kindness practice to center myself, "May I be safe, may I be happy, free, joyful, may I love myself just the way I am. May all beings be safe, free, happy." Before I know it, I've dropped into a concentration practice. I lose track of time, I've been sitting for 40 minutes when I next open my eyes to greet the new day. I feel ease, even hopeful about meeting my writing deadline. It felt good to be "out of time".