Getting up early, kinda

The trouble with routine

“Himalayas. Snowy peak at dawn.” (1943), Nicholas Roerich

For maybe fifteen years, the alarm was set for 5:04 am. Since pandemic, 6:04. Weekends, nothing, I try to sleep as late as possible, though I rarely make it past seven-thirty.

I know what I find beautiful about waking early—the blue coloring, the optimism, the first coffee on the lips—but for a lon…